Last Christmas

Christmas in Japan is for lovers. December 24 is the time when you supposed to take your "woman of interest out on a romantic date. If not the 24th at least the 25th. No one seems to know why this came about but here it is.
I have also noticed that the song "Last Christmas" by Wham is very popular here. As a matter of fact I have herd at least five different renditions of the song while frolicking in the public.
There is Whams version of the song, then there is the new rendition by the female singer who I no longer remember the name of. Along with this there is a "Boy vocal group" that sings a horrific version of it. Then there is the "muzak" version that you hear in highly sterilised places like the dentist. At one department store I heard a metal guitar version of it that rocked. If there was a video of this version I would pay good money to see it. I'm sure a studded cup or spandex were involved.
I once herd this song in a pub in Australia when I was there is April but that is another story.
My coworker came into work the other day singing this song and could not explain why he was doing so.
Last week I was trying to teach my students how to sing "Up on the house top", which they did OK at. But when I started to sing "Last Christmas" they all joined in with gusto.
It's been a quiet Christmas here in Japan and these are the things that stick out for me.
Happy Christmas

Jon