christmas cake. mmm.

The other day, some friends and I were talking about girls who set arbitrary timelines for major life milestones.

The most common one seems to be girls who vow to be married by 25. Another popular deadline? Having kids by the time you're 30.

I've never viewed my life within such a time frame, but I know plenty of girls who have. Alan told me "Christmas cake" is a popular expression in Japan. Here's a definition, courtesy of this cultural glossary:

"It may well be sweet and delicious, but no one really wants any after the 25th. So, if you're an unmarried Japanese woman, after the age of twenty five, you're in extreme danger of becoming a Christmas Cake."

It's easier for me to understand the baby thing than the marriage deadline. It just seems like you're setting yourself up to lower your standards simply to meet a self-imposed calendar requirement that really means nothing at all.

Guys, do you have any male friends who have similar relationship deadlines? And would you be afraid of dating a woman with this outlook?