Among Thais, how much has the habit of giving each other presents at Christmas caught on?

Is it confined to presents for the kids? Or do adults give each other presents too?

Just interested in other people's general impressions. I see quite a lot of 'Christmas' in the shops, but does it translate into a lot of present giving?

Jingle bells, jingle bells etc.... (Sorry.)

No, at least not among my friends and family.

The Christmas decorations are there for you, not them, and for tourists. Also the retailers probably hope that, like a few other diabolical Western customs, (eg Valentine's Day), maybe, just maybe, the Thai population will swallow the Santa myth.

Too close to New Year, frankly, which is a huge holiday season.

Normally, presents are given on New Year, not Christmas, even though the Christmas decorations have caught on.

Too close to New Year, frankly, which is a huge holiday season.

Thanks.

So is New Year a present-giving time for Thais?

Generally Thais do not celebrate Christmas but now in the populsr tourist cities it is catching on with more western people living there and I presume more families with western ties.

However in the rual villages, the answer is no. New year is their time to celebrate but never to the extent we westerners tend to do. Again I suppose it is to do with money though. Before I lived in the village my wife and, family including neices and nephews never even celebrated their birthdays and in fact up till then could never remember the date they were born. Now they do and we all give small birthday presents and chip in to buy a cake.

Too close to New Year, frankly, which is a huge holiday season.

Thanks.

So is New Year a present-giving time for Thais?

Yes.

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The majority of Thais don't formally give presents on specific occasions at all, because they have a hard enough time just making ends meet.

Out of thousands of rural upcountry people I've met, I've yet to see a western-style birthday party that wasn't the result of a westerner being in the picture - many many kids won't even know their own birth date if you ask them.

However there are many day-to-day routine occasions for giving small gifts that aren't part of western culture, for example when arriving from or departing on a trip, kong fahk, like a "remembrance" or souvenir, often edible.

I do know a few Thai families that celebrate Christmas, but in all cases they are very wealthy, highly globalized, and most of them are Christian.

Of course the high-end shopping centres do their best to push holiday spending however they can, and in fact I suspect most of the western "culture" in this area has come from such marketing over the decades - Santa Claus is after all largely an invention of Madison Avenue.

Thanks, just reminded me, I better start being good.

decorations for xmas in a non christian nation, in october?

i think the idea of celebrating xmas is more than catching on with the retailers at least .....

decorations for xmas in a non christian nation, in october?

i think the idea of celebrating xmas is more than catching on with the retailers at least .....

The Thais in the church I attend exchange small gifts on Christmas day, more as a symbolic gesture than anything, they give the big gifts on new years day as per the normal Thai tradition.

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The inter-Thais (whether Christian or not) and a lot of Thai Christians I know do.

The oh so fashionable western Thais have started doing so. The rest no.

Be prepared to listen to hideous christmas songs sung by an annoying girl that can't pronounce half the words in lots of shops.

Oh and if you do agree to cook christmas dinner because your wife and her friends want to experience one. DON'T !!!! You will get f-all help while the go and eat something else because they haven't the patience to wait and then don't eat anything at the dinner which you spent hours cooking, spent a load of money on and an endless amount of time finding everything because they are full.

The oh so fashionable western Thais have started doing so. The rest no.

Be prepared to listen to hideous christmas songs sung by an annoying girl that can't pronounce half the words in lots of shops.

Oh and if you do agree to cook christmas dinner because your wife and her friends want to experience one. DON'T !!!! You will get f-all help while the go and eat something else because they haven't the patience to wait and then don't eat anything at the dinner which you spent hours cooking, spent a load of money on and an endless amount of time finding everything because they are full.

Only Tesco Lotus credit card customers do. .............................

Among Thais, how much has the habit of giving each other presents at Christmas caught on?

Is it confined to presents for the kids? Or do adults give each other presents too?

Just interested in other people's general impressions. I see quite a lot of 'Christmas' in the shops, but does it translate into a lot of present giving?

Jingle bells, jingle bells etc.... (Sorry.)

Just to set the records straight, it's "Jinger Ben".

Above post may contain matter offensive to some. Parental guidance is advised.

Thai people don't celebrate Christmas.

If they say they do then its another rip off.

Keep clear or it'll cost you a heap!!

In farang places, bares etc. they do it for customers. The staff enjoy and may get tipped by the said drunk farang!

only really at work xmas parties,never really see them do it anywhere else.

come on guys they dont even bring wedding gifts.

decorations for xmas in a non christian nation, in october?

They are leftovers from last year.

I know places where the Christmas decorations are on all year round, as is the banner Happy New Year 2004.

I know places where the Christmas decorations are on all year round, as is the banner Happy New Year 2004.

Still waiting for Santa.

Above post may contain matter offensive to some. Parental guidance is advised.

None of my gf gave a rats arse about christmas, they do care about new year tho

Edited October 20, 201213 yr by poanoi

My wifes family don't celebrate Xmas. However New Year is a different matter.

They have a long standing tradition that started long before I came on the scene. One huge family reunion.

Xmas tinsel decorates the grandparents house. 4 generations of family bring gifts and food. The gifts are numbered and at midnight names are drawn from a hat with that person recieving the corresponding numbered gift.

I know places where the Christmas decorations are on all year round, as is the banner Happy New Year 2004.

They are new year decorations not christmas

I know places where the Christmas decorations are on all year round, as is the banner Happy New Year 2004.

Can we have a picture of your lounge.

My thai partner is catholic so yes his family celebrates x-mas

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you don't exchange presents here during christmas. you do bikini foam party