My First Happy Bag

Gotta love "After Christmas" shopping in Japan. Many stores sell mystery bags of merchandise on clearance, which you purchase without seeing what's inside. It's so bold, a gamble really--even the nonshopper can get a thrill buying a surprise "happy bag"! I can only assume that's why it's called a "happy bag." And why I felt so happy buying it. (Or maybe my sometimes silly friend Kathleen had something to do with that.)

Every time I've see one of these bags on display, I can't help but think the bag surely must give some hint at its contents, if only I could read Japanese. Nonetheless, I bought a "happy bag" this week. I guess you could say my curiousity got the best of me. In fact, it was quite impulsive. Even daring of me, you might think, if you know me. (For those who don't, I'm not impulsive and I really don't like knowing about surprises in advance of their actual unveiling. I hate the suspense of "I have a surprise for you!") But lest you think I'm getting crazy in my old age, I should tell you I bought a "happy bag" at a sock store.

What's inside? You guessed it, socks. I could handle the remaining (minimal) uncertainty involved in this purchase--mere matters of number, gender-appropriateness, color and style. And of course, I didn't really worry about size--I'm a 6 1/2 and in Japan, after all.

But what made this "happy bag" impossible to resist was Kathleen's impulsive offer to split it with me. So, for a measly $5, we each got 4 decent pairs of socks and have experienced yet another unique part of Japanese culture together. That's "happiness" that will most certainly last longer than the socks inside. So, well worth it.