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Christmas In Chiang Mai


pmf113b

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Hello,

Me and my husband are planning on returning back to Chiang Mai from Nov 26th for 4 months. We are going to be there for Christmas and are looking for the best options of what to do and where to do.

We are both keen golfers and was wondering if any of the courses around and outiside of Chiang Mai would be offering any special deals.

Would also appreciate where to look on the internet to find out what's going on in Chaing Mai around the Christmas period. As it's quite difficult when you are in the UK to know what to do.

Any info would be much appreciated.

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Hello,

Me and my husband are planning on returning back to Chiang Mai from Nov 26th for 4 months. We are going to be there for Christmas and are looking for the best options of what to do and where to do.

We are both keen golfers and was wondering if any of the courses around and outiside of Chiang Mai would be offering any special deals.

Would also appreciate where to look on the internet to find out what's going on in Chaing Mai around the Christmas period. As it's quite difficult when you are in the UK to know what to do.

Any info would be much appreciated.

:):D:D

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Chiang Mai is pretty dead for most of the year; don’t think Christmas is going to be any different.

To be honest Thailand doesn’t really celebrate Christmas much other than inside some the touristy type hotels.

So when you visit here, best not to raise your expectations too high.

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Chiang Mai is pretty dead for most of the year; don't think Christmas is going to be any different.

To be honest Thailand doesn't really celebrate Christmas much other than inside some the touristy type hotels.

So when you visit here, best not to raise your expectations too high.

OK thanks for that. Appreciated!!

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We like to build snow men at Thapae Gate, ice skating on the moat and go sledging down Doi Suthep.....OK, I'm kidding. As said Christmas isn't such a big thing, new year may be better - I did a quick Google search within Thailand for you and hit this, which may be of interest, or might not be...

Golf Deal

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sassienie

re ... Thailand doesn’t really celebrate Christmas much other than inside some the touristy type hotels.

if youre right ??

why have central kud sung kow and airport plaza shoping malls played christmas carols like jingle bells ALL DAY AND EVERY DAY from november for the last 5 years ???

just interested !

dave2

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There is a relatively small celebration in Thailand. Bangkok shopping malls come to mind. Even in C.M. you do find some carolers on Christmas Day, festive shopping malls, and some very cute girls with Santa Claus hats on around town. :)

It's really what you make of it yourself. Come and have a nice time.

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Hello,

Me and my husband are planning on returning back to Chiang Mai from Nov 26th for 4 months. We are going to be there for Christmas and are looking for the best options of what to do and where to do.

We are both keen golfers and was wondering if any of the courses around and outiside of Chiang Mai would be offering any special deals.

Would also appreciate where to look on the internet to find out what's going on in Chaing Mai around the Christmas period. As it's quite difficult when you are in the UK to know what to do.

Any info would be much appreciated.

You can visit me if you bring the Xmass pud :)

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sassienie

re ... Thailand doesn’t really celebrate Christmas much other than inside some the touristy type hotels.

if youre right ??

why have central kud sung kow and airport plaza shoping malls played christmas carols like jingle bells ALL DAY AND EVERY DAY from november for the last 5 years ???

just interested !

dave2

And it’s the same in Tescos and some other supermarkets. Those annoying Christmas songs sung by unknowns blasting away while shopping.

I wouldn’t exactly consider the playing of some Christmas songs in supermarkets as Christmas celebrations. Come on, be serious.

I haven’t seen any of them handing out Xmas puds, presents and free glasses of Sherry to their customers. Not even a cuddly toy for the kids.

Definitely not worth anyone’s while travelling up to Chiang Mai for the experience of hearing a few past their sell by date Christmas songs in a supermarket.

How about we all turn up at your place this year, if we bring a bottle?

Edited by sassienie
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Well, for one, Gymkhana Club has fun each year with carrolling on one night and a Christmas bash on another plus a fun (very informal) golf tournament. Good fun!

And there will be a few restaurants offering the "traditional" English dinner. More importantly, there are a lot of Christians in Chiang Mai. When you arrive, just go to church. I am sure you wlll be welcome.

I am not such as cynic as Sassienie above, but why are you coming to Thailand to celebrate Christmas? Yes, there will be recorded songs in the fancy supermarkets. So what? Same everywhere!

But I am always puzzled by people who want to take their place to this place!

Edited by Mapguy
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I am disappointed by the sarcastic and jaded replies from many of the TV members regarding Christmas in Thailand. This will be my third Christmas here in Chiangmai and I have found that many Thai people love to get into the spirit of the season. I have introduced Christmas to my Thai fiancee's family, and they look forward to it each year. They all come over for snacks and gifts and to enjoy the tree, manger etc. Even the baby considers all lighted trees as a "Christmas" tree now. They also bring gifts and appear to understand and accept the Christian customs.

Many of the well known local Thai establishments put on a wonderful Christmas dinner, turkey and all the trimmings! Two of the best are done by Tuskers and Duke's. I attended the carol singing last year and was touched by the performances of the children, including many Thai. My advice is to bring your Chistmas traditions here to Thailand and you will find many eager and willing people who want to join you! Chiangmai is tourist-oriented and my experience is that each year the holiday is becoming more popular!! In my experience many Thais are eager to learn more about Christianity, and they have open minds and hearts!! It's a wonderful country!!

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sassienie

re ... Thailand doesn’t really celebrate Christmas much other than inside some the touristy type hotels.

if youre right ??

why have central kud sung kow and airport plaza shoping malls played christmas carols like jingle bells ALL DAY AND EVERY DAY from november for the last 5 years ???

just interested !

dave2

I think that you know the answer to your own question 'dave2'

The attempt by shopping malls to induce a little festive spirit is simply a commercial one.

If they could raise a few baht they would set up stalls at funerals.

Indeed when the big bang occurred at the lam yai processing factory at Sanpatong a few years back there were literally hundreds of food stalls lining both sides of the road selling food to the thousands of gourmet ghouls who turned up to see all the body bits in the trees.

Ont thing about the realm there is no shortage of small business entrepreneur's

Edited by john b good
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Chiang Mai is pretty dead for most of the year; don’t think Christmas is going to be any different.

To be honest Thailand doesn’t really celebrate Christmas much other than inside some the touristy type hotels.

So when you visit here, best not to raise your expectations too high.

you sound like a happy fun person!

there is plenty of good people to meet in chiangmai and christmas is what you make it!

im sure you will have a lovley time in the sun this christmas in thailand. :)

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why have central kud sung kow and airport plaza shoping malls played christmas carols like jingle bells ALL DAY AND EVERY DAY from november for the last 5 years ???

That is surely the traditional Thai new-year present-giving season ? ! :)

Why come to C.M. for Christmas ? Perhaps for the warm days (compared to England !) and sunshine, the pleasantly-cool evenings, the culture and shopping, the day-trips out to the surrounding attractions (anyone for tigers or monkeys or elephants ?) and the excellent food, including some very good Christmas-lunches as already mentioned.

We all tend to take this for granted, doesn't everyone live as well as we do, here in C.M. ? Erm ... No, not really ! :D That's surely why we moved here ! :D

What you won't get ... 'Mary Poppins' or 'The Malta Story' on TV, no 'Highlights of Big Brother' (OK ... I made that one up). No grumpy dustmen (Refuse Disposal Executives) or paper-boys (Paper Distribution Trainees) ringing your door-bell, with outstretched hands and an insincere smile. No over-priced turkeys or supermarket-staff in red hats. No drunken office-parties in every pub and restaurant.

Welcome to Chiang Mai and, may I be the first (on this thread at least), to wish you a Merry Christmas ! :D

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Chiang Mai is pretty dead for most of the year; don't think Christmas is going to be any different.

To be honest Thailand doesn't really celebrate Christmas much other than inside some the touristy type hotels.

So when you visit here, best not to raise your expectations too high.

you sound like a happy fun person!

there is plenty of good people to meet in chiangmai and christmas is what you make it!

im sure you will have a lovley time in the sun this christmas in thailand. :)

ThaiVisa has many negative posters, it doesn't matter what the topic is. I am sure you have been to Chiang Mai and know that it is definitely not "dead most of the year". The time of year that you are coming is the busiest time of year, so it will be extra non-dead. There are many places that do christmas stuff but Thais out of western-circles don't tend to do much for christmas, other than the christians, many hilltribes. New Years is a different story, highly celebrated. We have done christmas "secret santas partys"(gift exchange) at our little bar and it was really nice and the Thais that come really loved it. When Santa turned up, it was bizarre how excited the Thais got (non-christians)! Just like little kids catching Santa by surprise.

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Yes ignore the whingers PMF although Christmas is not the same as at home there is still plenty of good cheer and goodwill about. One advantage is that you don't get the same rampant commercialism that starts after Halloween although it gets a bit more prevalent every year.

Christmas in Chiang Mai is centred around family and friends and limited to just a few days around the 25th and at New Year which the Thais celebrate with great gusto.

I am sure you will enjoy it. :)

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Yes ignore the whingers PMF although Christmas is not the same as at home there is still plenty of good cheer and goodwill about. One advantage is that you don't get the same rampant commercialism that starts after Halloween although it gets a bit more prevalent every year.

Christmas in Chiang Mai is centred around family and friends and limited to just a few days around the 25th and at New Year which the Thais celebrate with great gusto.

I am sure you will enjoy it. :)

I agree with Milton Bentley and the other positive posters, even mapguy done himself proud :D , certain other posters on this topic I would liken to the Grinch :D

I've always prefered Christmas in Chiang Mai and have always felt there is more genuine good cheer here than in the West.

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had an excellent christmas day dinner and evening out at tuskers last year. there's something refreshingly lovely about spending christmas day eating turkey outdoors in a warm climate wearing shorts and just drinking with friends. OP you have nothing to worry about.

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I love Christmas in Chiang Mai.

As mentioned, it's not a major commercial holiday. Sure, the malls play some amazingly annoying Christmas music, but at least they don't start at Halloween. The Christmas dinners are great at places like Tuskers. I love turkey, which is difficult to find in Chiang Mai. There's no way I can cram a turkey into our Easy-bake toy oven even if I bought one of the over-priced ones in the grocery store. So I love going out for Christmas dinner.

I love the way the Thais have adopted the "pagan" aspects of the holiday but not turned them into a major fetish. I always felt so much pressure with Christmas in the U.S. Martha Stewart and others have turned it into a real time of stress where women like me should bake for days on end, entertain huge crowds at home, knit just the perfect Christmas sweater to wear to holiday parties and decorate our home as if we were preparing for a magazine cover. None of my friends here do that. Wonderful!

Here we can focus on the "real" meaning of Christmas.

Edited by NancyL
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