[Matajic]

Thailand is not a Christian country so they do not celebrate Christmas. It is a normal school/work day. However, they like to celebrate. To answer your question, they will have rice as normal.

Christmas in Thailand - Thai-Blogs.com
Christmas Day in Thailand - Sriwittayapaknam School
Christmas Day in Thailand - thailandlife.com

[LOVEBoy]

On Friday, Dec 5th, some of the people in other offices on our floor at work put up Christmas decorations. (I don't know who told them that glow-in-the-dark skeletons are Christmas decorations though. Must have been leftovers from Halloween.)

They are all Thai and although a minority of Thais are Christian, I'm sure most people in those offices are regular Thai Buddhists.

Maybe they went to Bangkok Catholic schools and are reliving their childhoods. My guess tho is that it is just Thai sanuk-ness and they don't want to miss out on an opportunity to have a bit of fun, bless 'em. I'll ask them on Monday.

Last year they didn't take their Christmas decorations down until about March.

[RicardoHun]

On Friday, Dec 5th, some of the people in other offices on our floor at work put up Christmas decorations. (I don't know who told them that glow-in-the-dark skeletons are Christmas decorations though. Must have been leftovers from Halloween.)

They are all Thai and although a minority of Thais are Christian, I'm sure most people in those offices are regular Thai Buddhists.

Maybe they went to Bangkok Catholic schools and are reliving their childhoods. My guess tho is that it is just Thai sanuk-ness and they don't want to miss out on an opportunity to have a bit of fun, bless 'em. I'll ask them on Monday.

Last year they didn't take their Christmas decorations down until about March.

This sounds a sensible way to celebrate Christmas.
Christmas here started in earnest Friday 28 November when the monthly paid got their money All Saturdays are now officially hell in all town main shopping areas and on the roads leading to them until 20 Dec. I had to venture out into the frenzied melee today as the Post Office finally decided to deliver a book that was sent 5 days ago from 90 miles away, In the 18th century mail took 3 days to cover the same distance. Thats progress.
The book had to be sent on to Nong Grace along with some other stuff, so it was off to a town heaving with people. I felt sorry seeing all the poor husbands being dragged around the shops. If a donkey looked as miserable as some of these poor guys weighed down with shopping, you would call out Vet to humanely desroy it.
Getting to the main Post Office, now conveniently located on the first floor of a large shop () was like swimming in treacle. Why do people have to stop and chatter in groups in the middle of pavements/sidewalks? Why do they have to walk with the speed of an arthritic tortoise when they are young and obviously healthy?
Give me a Thai-style Christmas every time- I was there in 2004 for one. No fuss and the shops are open if you have forgotten to buy something-the most terrifying fear, it seems, of a European Christmas.

[LOVEBoy]

This sounds a sensible way to celebrate Christmas.
Christmas here started in earnest Friday 28 November when the monthly paid got their money All Saturdays are now officially hell in all town main shopping areas and on the roads leading to them until 20 Dec. I had to venture out into the frenzied melee today as the Post Office finally decided to deliver a book that was sent 5 days ago from 90 miles away, In the 18th century mail took 3 days to cover the same distance. Thats progress.
The book had to be sent on to Nong Grace along with some other stuff, so it was off to a town heaving with people. I felt sorry seeing all the poor husbands being dragged around the shops. If a donkey looked as miserable as some of these poor guys weighed down with shopping, you would call out Vet to humanely desroy it.
Getting to the main Post Office, now conveniently located on the first floor of a large shop () was like swimming in treacle. Why do people have to stop and chatter in groups in the middle of pavements/sidewalks? Why do they have to walk with the speed of an arthritic tortoise when they are young and obviously healthy?
Give me a Thai-style Christmas every time- I was there in 2004 for one. No fuss and the shops are open if you have forgotten to buy something-the most terrifying fear, it seems, of a European Christmas.

Quite, Khun Don, I don't miss it. A few years ago we went to a steak house in MBK then went to the cinema. This year I've booked a few weeks' holiday starting Dec 24th and on Christmas Day morning we're heading out of town, probably to Petchaburi and/or Ratchaburi for a bit of sight-seeing (Thanks Yeows for a post months back that got me interested in seeing Ratchaburi).

I'll call my family in the UK on Xmas Eve then forget all about Christmas.

[LOVEBoy]

And still on the subject of Christmas being a time for boosting retail sales versus being a time for giving ... on my birthday this year my wife didn't know what to buy me.

So we went to a wet market in the suburbs of Bangkok. There she bought me a bag of live eels (46 -- one more than my years), all the stall's remaining live frogs (about 15) and 4 live terrapins. We then hired a van to take us to a lake and released them all.

We had to throw the frogs into the lake because they wanted to hang around on the lakeside and there were people around who the driver said would catch them as soon as we left.

After that we went to a 7-11, bought some monks' daily necessities and took them to a local temple.

Then we went to Hua Lamphong temple and paid 500 baht for a coffin for whoever didn't have the money to pay for one.

That was a birthday I'll not forget and if we do something similar on Xmas Day I would feel that it was much closer to what the Xmas spirit is supposed to be about.

[RicardoHun]

Brilliant idea. Its like those charities where you buy a goat for a poor family somewhere in Africa as your present to Aunty Doris. At least you do not have to wrap it!

[LOVEBoy]

Brilliant idea. Its like those charities where you buy a goat for a poor family somewhere in Africa as your present to Aunty Doris. At least you do not have to wrap it!

No, you don't. Though I'm sure Damien Hirst would, if he didn't pickle it.

[adverwork]

Christmas 2004 I spent in Thailand. We went to DreamWorld on Christmas Day mainly because of the Snow Town as Ubonwan had never seen snow before. In the evening we met up with another couple, him British/Irish and she Thai and is tradditional for Christmas ate far too much at a street restaurant in the Soi behind our hotel in Banglamphu just of Samsen Road.

David

[zueqhbyhp]

That was a birthday I'll not forget and if we do something similar on Xmas Day I would feel that it was much closer to what the Xmas spirit is supposed to be about.

Superb inspirational post Sparky. I have spent the last 15 or so Christmases in Thailand but in truth have always felt something missing. This year I will try to adapt your idea and do something similar.

[Turbo-ip]

I loved that big christmas tree they put in MBK square last year, huge and blue lights. Maybe I'll catch it again this year if I'm there. Interesting how many 'non traditional' celebrations seem to catch on in so many parts of the world, especially in the greater metropolitan areas.

[Emunsesoxmete]

we will be working at Christmas (midterm tests week), but I don't mind. the best way to spend Christmas is to be with the ones you love, and that happens to be my students. I could never really make sense of Christmas back home. I'm ok with all the decorations etc, I just hate "jingle bells" because it is always on. even in the bank.

[Turbo-ip]

Here's the cool tree.

[Aswdwdfg]

One year my sister sent a small tree, with small ornaments and small garland...fake snow even. Here is a picture of my Thai mom trimming her first tree!

[Emunsesoxmete]

that's really small
I went shopping the other day, of course BigC is now full of trees of all sizes. there are even bright pink ones.


in your country, do you usually have real trees or plastic ones?

[Aswdwdfg]

We have both.

[Singukil]

i need help too. i have a report too. so i need to know foods they eat on christmas.