Introduction
This may come out of nowhere, but I’ve decided to host an event in Tokyo on December 24.
It’s called “Kuribocchi Meetup 2026.”
As the name suggests, it’s an event for people spending Christmas Eve alone to get together and socialize.
…You might be wondering what I’m even talking about.
I’m kind of wondering that myself.
By the way, it’s being organized by Under18 Developers, a community where I serve as the representative.
I recently hosted a lightning-talk meetup called “Let’s Talk About Worlds We Don’t Know” at Mita Gakuen’s school festival, and apparently I’m already organizing another event.
This time, in Tokyo.
I have to admit, I’m not very good at sitting still.
Why I Decided to Host It
So, since I’m hosting an event, there must be some kind of purpose or reason behind it.
Maybe I want to encourage interaction between engineers, build a new community, or solve some kind of social issue.
It would be nice if I had a noble reason like that, but unfortunately, this time I don’t.
It all started with a simple thought: “I want to go to Tokyo.”
I’ve wanted to host an event in Tokyo for a while.
And since I’ll be on winter break, I’d also like to work from my internship company’s headquarters.
While I’m at it, I’d like to visit some friends in Tokyo, too.
So I decided to stay in Tokyo from December 23 to 26.
So far, nothing unusual.
Here’s where things get weird.
“Since I’ll be in Tokyo anyway, maybe I’ll host an event or something.”
…Why?
Normally, deciding to take a trip doesn’t make you want to host an event.
But that’s what happened to me.
Then, while looking at the dates, I noticed something.
December 24.
Christmas Eve.
I’m spending Christmas alone.
So there was only one answer.
“Well, why not get a bunch of people spending Christmas alone together and host an event?”
And that’s how Kuribocchi Meetup 2026 came to be.
It’s remarkably impulsive.
Shouldn’t event planning be a little more deliberate?
…Well, it sounds fun, so I’m going with it.
The Concept: “Have More Fun Than the Couples”
This event does have a concept, at least.
“Have more fun than the couples.”
That’s it.
Christmas Eve is often seen as a day to go on a date with your partner, see the holiday lights, or have dinner at a fancy restaurant.
Must be nice.
On the other hand, I don’t have any plans like that.
So why not get together with other people spending Christmas alone and have a better Christmas Eve than the couples?
It’s a very simple idea.
But maybe that’s exactly what makes it fun.
After all, there’s no reason Christmas Eve has to be all about dates with your partner.
You can spend it with friends, meet new people, or talk tech with strangers.
You could even chat with a 90-year-old grandpa about the internet these days.
…I’d actually love to see that.
Anyway, it’s Christmas Eve, so why not have a good time together?
People in Relationships Are Welcome, Too
After all that, I should clarify that people in relationships aren’t banned from attending.
People with partners, and people who are married, are absolutely welcome to join.
I do have just one request.
Please come with a generous spirit, prepared to face any and all of the resentment, envy, jealousy, and other sins and emotions that Christmas-alone attendees might direct your way.
…Of course, I’m joking.
I don’t mean that you should be okay with anyone actually doing anything to you, so please don’t worry.
But if you hear someone mutter “Must be nice…” from somewhere in the venue, I’d appreciate it if you could take it as just another part of the Christmas Eve atmosphere.
As I was writing this, I realized that envy is one of the seven deadly sins.
Well, no need to get hung up on the details.
It’s Christmas Eve.
Age Doesn’t Matter
There’s one more thing I want to make important at this event.
Age doesn’t matter.
Since the organizer is called “Under18 Developers,” you might think this event is only for people under 18.
That’s not the case at all.
High school students, university students, working professionals, retirees—everyone is welcome.
I’m 16 myself, but I regularly meet and talk with people of all ages in tech communities.
One thing I’ve realized from those experiences is that talking with people of different ages can be really interesting.
Of course, we’ve lived through different times and have different knowledge.
But if we have something in common to talk about, we can still have a great conversation. And sometimes, the generational gap makes the conversation even more interesting.
So I hope you’ll join us without worrying about age.
To take it to the extreme, even a grandpa in his 90s would be more than welcome.
A grandpa in his 90s attending a Kuribocchi event hosted by a 16-year-old high school student.
That alone would be pretty funny.
And if he started talking about the computers of his youth, I’d probably be thrilled to listen.
Of course, you don’t need to know anything about technology to join.
No matter your age, job, or title, just come because it sounds fun.
That’s the kind of place I want to create.
Is It a Tech Event? Not Really
Let me explain a little more about the event.
Since it’s being organized by Under18 Developers, I’m hoping to bring together engineers and people from tech communities in particular.
That said, this isn’t specifically a tech event.
You’re welcome to talk about technology or hang out with other engineers, of course.
But that’s not the main goal this time.
The goal is to get people spending Christmas alone together and have more fun than the couples.
I wanted to emphasize that.
In other words, you don’t need to know how to program or work in the IT industry.
Students, working professionals, engineers, novelists, and even people who’ve never been to an event like this before are all welcome.
I often attend tech events, but I enjoy talking with people just as much as I enjoy talking about technology.
Meeting someone you wouldn’t normally get to know, chatting about everyday things, and then making new connections from there.
I think I really enjoy creating places where that can happen.
…I’ve tried to make that sound profound, but the reason I’m hosting this event is still “I’ll be in Tokyo, and I’m spending Christmas alone.”
One of the funny things about being human is how easily we can come up with noble-sounding reasons after the fact.
By the Way, I’m Looking for Sponsors
Now, there’s one practical issue to deal with.
Hosting an event costs money.
And this one is in Tokyo.
There may be various expenses, starting with securing a venue.
I learned a lot from the recent Mita Gakuen lightning-talk meetup, and apparently events take more money and effort than I expected.
Well, of course I knew that.
I knew it, and yet here I am trying to host another one.
Are humans not supposed to learn from experience?
So, I’m looking for sponsors and supporting companies for Kuribocchi Meetup.
The most helpful kind of support would be providing a venue.
If there’s a company that could lend us a space in Tokyo for around 50–60 people on the evening of December 24, that would be a huge help.
Of course, we’d be delighted to receive support in other forms, too.
If your company is interested in supporting tech communities, or you simply find this weird idea entertaining, please get in touch.
Looking for sponsors to help gather people spending Christmas alone on Christmas Eve.
When I put it in writing, it’s hard to make sense of.
Still, I think it would be really interesting if a company wanted to support a project like this.
We can discuss the specific details of sponsorship individually.
Come to Think of It, I’m Hosting Another Event
A slight digression: around 60 people kindly attended the recent Mita Gakuen lightning-talk meetup.
That was my first major event as an organizer.
From planning and finding speakers to promotion and running the event on the day, there were plenty of challenging parts, but it was an even more rewarding experience.
And now I’m trying to bring together around 50 people in Tokyo.
With Christmas loners as the theme.
…What is this?
After hosting an event, wouldn’t most people take a break for a while?
At least, that’s what I thought I’d do.
But before I knew it, I was already preparing the next one.
Apparently, I really do enjoy putting on events.
You come up with an idea that sounds fun and try to make it real.
What started as a passing thought draws in all kinds of people and, before you know it, has become an actual event.
I find that process incredibly fun.
And an event like this might give me a chance to meet people I wouldn’t usually run into at a tech conference.
Though I haven’t thought that far ahead this time.
I’ll say it again: it all started because I’m spending Christmas alone.
Conclusion
So, Kuribocchi Meetup 2026 is happening in Tokyo on December 24, 2026.
If you’d like to join us, please check out the connpass page below.
Sign up for Kuribocchi Meetup 2026 here
Engineers and non-engineers alike are welcome.
There’s no age limit, either.
People spending Christmas alone are welcome, of course, and so are people in relationships—provided you’re prepared to handle a little envy ().
We’d also love to hear from any companies interested in sponsoring or supporting the event.
Honestly, I still have no idea what this event will turn into.
For starters, will 50 people spending Christmas alone really show up on Christmas Eve?
If they do, that’ll be quite a sight.
At the very least, if people who came together because they had no plans for Christmas Eve make some new friends, that alone would make the event worthwhile.
And more than anything, I’m looking forward to it.
I’m going to Tokyo.
I’ll work from the headquarters.
I’ll hang out with friends.
And while I’m at it, I’ll host an event.
…I feel like “while I’m at it” has gotten a little out of hand, but I’m sure it’ll work out.
See you in Tokyo on December 24.
Let’s bring together 50 people spending Christmas alone.
Let’s make this Christmas Eve more fun than the couples’.
…Now that I think about it, that’s a pretty ambitious goal.
