AbeSurd Posted October 20, 2012 Share Posted October 20, 2012 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.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wamberal Posted October 20, 2012 Share Posted October 20, 2012 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. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wayned Posted October 20, 2012 Share Posted October 20, 2012 Normally, presents are given on New Year, not Christmas, even though the Christmas decorations have caught on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AbeSurd Posted October 20, 2012 Author Share Posted October 20, 2012 Too close to New Year, frankly, which is a huge holiday season. Thanks. So is New Year a present-giving time for Thais? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pormax Posted October 20, 2012 Share Posted October 20, 2012 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rics21 Posted October 20, 2012 Share Posted October 20, 2012 Too close to New Year, frankly, which is a huge holiday season. Thanks. So is New Year a present-giving time for Thais? Yes. Sent from my XT910 using Thaivisa Connect App Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigJohnnyBKK Posted October 20, 2012 Share Posted October 20, 2012 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. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krisb Posted October 20, 2012 Share Posted October 20, 2012 Thanks, just reminded me, I better start being good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GooEng Posted October 20, 2012 Share Posted October 20, 2012 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 ..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GooEng Posted October 20, 2012 Share Posted October 20, 2012 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 ..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomTao Posted October 20, 2012 Share Posted October 20, 2012 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. Sent from my GT-I9003 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heng Posted October 20, 2012 Share Posted October 20, 2012 The inter-Thais (whether Christian or not) and a lot of Thai Christians I know do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arthurwait Posted October 20, 2012 Share Posted October 20, 2012 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BookMan Posted October 20, 2012 Share Posted October 20, 2012 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
transam Posted October 20, 2012 Share Posted October 20, 2012 Only Tesco Lotus credit card customers do. ............................. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Payboy Posted October 20, 2012 Share Posted October 20, 2012 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. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
breadbin Posted October 20, 2012 Share Posted October 20, 2012 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! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
payak Posted October 20, 2012 Share Posted October 20, 2012 only really at work xmas parties,never really see them do it anywhere else. come on guys they dont even bring wedding gifts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Semper Posted October 20, 2012 Share Posted October 20, 2012 decorations for xmas in a non christian nation, in october? They are leftovers from last year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbrain Posted October 20, 2012 Share Posted October 20, 2012 I know places where the Christmas decorations are on all year round, as is the banner Happy New Year 2004. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Payboy Posted October 20, 2012 Share Posted October 20, 2012 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poanoi Posted October 20, 2012 Share Posted October 20, 2012 (edited) None of my gf gave a rats arse about christmas, they do care about new year tho Edited October 20, 2012 by poanoi Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farma Posted October 20, 2012 Share Posted October 20, 2012 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ripstanley Posted October 20, 2012 Share Posted October 20, 2012 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
transam Posted October 20, 2012 Share Posted October 20, 2012 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rickthailand Posted October 20, 2012 Share Posted October 20, 2012 My thai partner is catholic so yes his family celebrates x-mas Sent from my GT-I9100 using Thaivisa Connect App Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barefoot1988 Posted October 20, 2012 Share Posted October 20, 2012 you don't exchange presents here during christmas. you do bikini foam party Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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