Having a happy thai Christmas

[Benmart]

I celebrate everyday and more so on Dec 24th and 25th, stimulant free, except for water, food and air.

One Day at a Time.

[HUAHIN62]

Trees up, lights on and decorations done. Just waiting for the kids to come home (not really kids anymore 18 and 22). Will be doing a cold lunch this year, leg of lamb, salads etc. Wifes the one that enjoy preparing everything. I think its great of her as she know I gave up being close to the children to be with her.

[Hedghog]

You never get a Tanner in Christmas puddings any more.

What a shame,a substitute wasn't created.

Elfnsafety no doubt.

[DGIE]

....puddings but I doubt I will get the brandied custard and double cream.

Hmmmn...

I like to taste it. How about the lamb leg, where do you buy that? How are you going to cook it?

[DocN]

I am not getting into the christmas mood here at all!

In Germany we celebrate Christmast Eve rather than Christmas Day and there is that time between 3pm and 8 pm, when you can walk out into the streets of the town and it is cold and quiet, almost as if the world is holding it's breath and takes a short break from the hectic and the struggle....

It just doesn't happen here (of course) and that is why christmas for me is just not happening...

[Ulysses G.]

It is celebrated all over the world - not just in Christian countries - and is actually derived from pre-Christian, Christian and secular themes and origins. It is not strictly about the birth of Christ. It has always been about the special foods and getting together with friends for me and it still is

[draftvader]

Sent from my phone, hence brevity and gypos

[Tywais]

It is celebrated all over the world - not just in Christian countries - and is actually derived from pre-Christian, Christian and secular themes and origins. It is not strictly about the birth of Christ. It has always been about the special foods and getting together with friends for me and it still is

I remember one of my trips to Singapore at Christmas time. It was more festive than I sometimes see in the US. Quite an experience hearing Christmas carols song in English, Bahasa and Chinese.

[Theo007]

I still celebrate Christmas as I always have done. Go to church and then go for a pub lunch with some friends from the congregation.

[Frank James]

Yes, we celebrate Christmas with a tree. Look at our daughter's happy smile ...

SAM_2077z.jpg

Great photo

What a lovely child. If I had an angel like that at home, I'd probably do Christmas again. It's for the kids anyway.

[GAZZPA]

Now-a-days Christmas has very little religious meaning. Just commercial greed and overspending. Fireworks night (and Halloween) are becoming more and more popular in England. Not forgetting New-Year of course.

Erm, no. Christmas is a religious celebration. It is a celebration of the birth of Jesus, the son of God and the giving of gifts is to commemorate the gift of God's son to us. I won't rant on about this as what you believe it your choice but there is no escaping these facts.

If you chose to ignore the meaning and just embrace the commercial stuff such as spending money on presents then you have missed the whole point.

Try taking your family to midnight mass to get in touch with it all. Many people do this even if they do not regularly attend church during the year, it's much nicer experience then you might think.

Anyway, merry christmas to you and your family, I hope you have a good time together.

[khunpa]

We normally go out for our Christmas dinner. However, this year we are staying home, due to my GF being pregnant. I am going to do the cooking and we also give each other presents and have a small Christmas tree.

I actually think my GF and her son enjoys it more than me. The presents are always good fun. Nothing big, but always a surprise :-)

[Benmart]

I am not getting into the christmas mood here at all!

In Germany we celebrate Christmast Eve rather than Christmas Day and there is that time between 3pm and 8 pm, when you can walk out into the streets of the town and it is cold and quiet, almost as if the world is holding it's breath and takes a short break from the hectic and the struggle....

It just doesn't happen here (of course) and that is why christmas for me is just not happening...

I lived in Germany for three years and Christmas there was indeed magical. I will take those memories to my last roundup of the German and American friends now gone.

I will spend Christmas Eve and Day in Pattaya with sober, joyous and good friends and those memories will be special as well.

One Day at A Time

[Benmart]

We normally go out for our Christmas dinner. However, this year we are staying home, due to my GF being pregnant. I am going to do the cooking and we also give each other presents and have a small Christmas tree.

I actually think my GF and her son enjoys it more than me. The presents are always good fun. Nothing big, but always a surprise :-)

Sounds wonderful. Merry Christmas and congratulations.

[Benmart]

Now-a-days Christmas has very little religious meaning. Just commercial greed and overspending. Fireworks night (and Halloween) are becoming more and more popular in England. Not forgetting New-Year of course.

Erm, no. Christmas is a religious celebration. It is a celebration of the birth of Jesus, the son of God and the giving of gifts is to commemorate the gift of God's son to us. I won't rant on about this as what you believe it your choice but there is no escaping these facts.

If you chose to ignore the meaning and just embrace the commercial stuff such as spending money on presents then you have missed the whole point.

Try taking your family to midnight mass to get in touch with it all. Many people do this even if they do not regularly attend church during the year, it's much nicer experience then you might think.

Anyway, merry christmas to you and your family, I hope you have a good time together.

Humanity is here, in all it's forms, and how, what or who created it is up to the individual. The commercialism, I believe, is a result of mans greed for worldly things that are most often left outside the grave or crematory.

In times of distress or impending doom, I have never heard a person invoke the name of Wal-Mart, Harrod's or BMW. I have, however, heard names of a temporal nature uttered with much conviction on numerous occassions.

I've found that it is difficult to sway the beliefs of another and prefer to live and let live.

[uptheos]

You never get a Tanner in Christmas puddings any more.

What a shame,a substitute wasn't created.

Elfnsafety no doubt.

A tanner......luxury!

When I were a lad it were a threepenny bit and hopefully no broken teeth.

[Jingthing]

Heck as long as I can get my hands on a Festivus Poll I'm as happy in Siam as anywhere ...

Sent from my GT-S5360B using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[Tywais]

Heck as long as I can get my hands on a Festivus Poll I'm as happy in Siam as anywhere ...

I had to look that up to be sure it is within forum rules.

[Torrens54]

Yes, we do!

We lived back in Australia for a few years and our daughter got into the joys of Christmas there, although the first year we were in fact at Sea on a cruise ship, but they Celebrated Christmas in a big way and we've just continued on ever since.

[dotpoom]

It is celebrated all over the world - not just in Christian countries - and is actually derived from pre-Christian, Christian and secular themes and origins. It is not strictly about the birth of Christ. It has always been about the special foods and getting together with friends for me and it still is

That is certainly true, but before the birth of Christ is was known by a different name. It became known as "Christmas" when "Christ" was born.....and "Christmas is what the OP was asked about.

Anyway....Happy Christmas (or Holiday) to you all and all your families and may there be many more to come.

[Jingthing]

Ah yes the special foods of Xmas -- such as the traditional Kung Pao Chicken!

Sent from my GT-S5360B using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[BlackArtemis]

Christmas was never really my favorite time. But I did enjoy the baking, cooking, and family time. Last year i did a lot of baking with my GF here. Single now and have time off, so I plan on being on my motorcycle somewhere in the north, excited for it.

[krisb]

Heck as long as I can get my hands on a Festivus Poll I'm as happy in Siam as anywhere ...

Sent from my GT-S5360B using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

It's festivus for the rest of us...

[David48]

It is celebrated all over the world - not just in Christian countries - and is actually derived from pre-Christian, Christian and secular themes and origins. It is not strictly about the birth of Christ. It has always been about the special foods and getting together with friends for me and it still is

I remember one of my trips to Singapore at Christmas time. It was more festive than I sometimes see in the US. Quite an experience hearing Christmas carols song in English, Bahasa and Chinese.

BTS Walkway from Siam Station ...

My video skills back then were a bit crappy.

[David48]

Christmas is great, there's no other time of the year that brings back so many memories both good and not so good.

The joy of a present given and shared ... excuse my crappy Thai, but she understood.

This was a few years ago and I was getting to know the Thai family.

Bought KerPlunk ... great game, can be enjoyed without having to speak.

Got the future nieces in on the act.

Had lots of small, but appreciated gifts for everyone

Sadly, I couldn't convince the gf's Ma and Pa to join us.

But following on what uptheos says ...

[dotpoom]

Let us spare a thought for those who are alone this year....it can be a very sad time of year for them...especially those who are estranged from their families.....In the near past I invited those of my friends who might not have anyone to be with at Christmas to come around for Christmas dinner and if they knew someone in similar circumstances please bring them along too if they wanted to come. ........20 Foreigners and 5 Thai neighbors (the neighbours came over to have a look at the "goings on" and thoroughly enjoyed it) turned up that day...what a wonderful Christmas day that was. I filled up the back of the pick-up with as many as I could and dropped them back into town that evening....the rest of them made their own way home.

I wanted to do it again but my poor Thai wife found the cooking all too much....even though a friend of mine did the Turkey and veggies while a friend of her's had taken care of the Thai cooking for any Thai's that came along.

I really hope none of us have to be alone on this coming 25th. It is really one time of the year when it is good to reach out to our fellow man who's path we are crossing on this journey to where-ever we believe it is leading to.

[Joe Mamma]

Got the lady a new pantsuit. On one leg it says Merry Christmas, on the other it says Happy New Year. I was hoping to get invited up in between the holidays!

[socksy01]

Me, Thai missus and 5-year-old daughter (born in UK) celebrate Christmas. Seeing my daughters face light up with presents around the tree is worth it. Usually do traditional Christmas dinner but one year invited four in-laws and their four kids for dinner and the ungrateful bastards (other than one brother-in-law) wouldn't eat the Christmas dinner I cooked. They ate their usual stuff which they can eat any day of the week, six times a day. Needless to say they've never been invited again.

[sturdyd]

I did it once here. The idea seemed good, but the reality was disappointing. To me Christmas is about the giving -- the goodwill and joy -- but the Thai family just didn't quite get it. To them it was more about the getting. And it's too close to the New Year, which is the holiday the Thai family really cares about. So just another day now.

[canman]

Tree and decorations are up. As others have mentioned the best part is the joy on my son's faces Christmas morning. It will be a brined Turkey in the webber again this year and Christmas day lunch with good friends and family.