Change

Here's the Christmas card I just received in the mail from a relative:

"Is it different in Japan for Christmas? I hope you don't take up smoking. Those Japanese men are really smelly!!! Have a Merry Christmas and New Year."

Somehow I think that's supposed to be a joke, sort of, but it didn't sit too well. I still don't understand how people can think this way. I grew up with tons of comments like these all the time from all sides of the family and yet I still cringe everytime I hear one. I used to try and tell them otherwise, but that never worked. I guess you can't be changed unless you want to be.