Does anyone else feel Xmas is just another day.

[David48]

Thais don't really get Christmas. That's a plus!

Christian Thais, be they few in number and yes, I know one, just one, get it.

[ExpatOilWorker]

I might have sex twice, but other than that, just a normal day.

[FiftyTwo]

Christmas for me is a sad day, a day when people with no sanity celebrate a fairytale, Im always staggered at how many people "believe"

If there were no humans there would be no Christmas...........says it all really!

I always laugh cos Coca Cola invented Santa Claus as a marketing gimmick.

[bkkgooner]

Firstly, I'm not a practicing Christian. I used to be like you, it was irritating and I couldn't care less about it but since I had kids, it's a joy to see the happiness on their faces when they are opening their presents from under the tree from Santa. My kids go to a Catholic school and when I went to their xmas party, I was sitting next to Jesus(statue). I asked him what he thought about Santa and how he was more popular than Jesus these days. He replied:-

Santa lives at the North Pole.

JESUS is everywhere.

Santa rides in a sleigh

JESUS rides on the wind and walks on the water.

Santa comes but once a year

JESUS is an ever present help.

Santa fills your stockings with goodies

JESUS supplies all your needs.

Santa comes down your chimney uninvited

JESUS stands at your door and knocks.. and then enters your heart.

You have to stand in line to see Santa

JESUS is as close as the mention of His name.

Santa lets you sit on his lap

JESUS lets you rest in His arms.

Santa doesn't know your name, all he can say is "Hi little boy or girl, What's your name?"

JESUS knew our name before we did.Not only does He know our name, He knows our address too.He knows our history and future and He even knows how many hairs are on our heads.

Santa has a belly like a bowl full of jelly

JESUS has a heart full of love.

All Santa can offer is HO HO HO

JESUS offers health, help and hope.

Santa says "You better not cry"

JESUS says "Cast all your cares on me for I care for you.

Santa's little helpers make toys

JESUS makes new life, mends wounded hearts, repairs broken homes and builds mansions.

Santa may make you chuckle but

JESUS gives you joy that is your strength.

While Santa puts gifts under your tree

JESUS became our gift and died on the tree.

It's obvious there is really no comparison.

We need to remember WHO Christmas is all about.

We need to put Christ back in Christmas.

Jesus is still the reason for the season.

Yes, Jesus is better, he is even better than Santa Claus!

Although I don't believe in the Omnipotence or Omnipresence of Jesus, and find the whole interpretation of his great teachings confusing, I believe he had a great message and use this time of year to remember some of them. One I particularly like at New Year time is :- "No one, after putting his hand to the plow and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God." This means to me that although the past has often shaped my present, I can't allow it to dictate my future. I have been blessed with a 'plough' and it's my choice what I want to plant for tomorrow.

Winner of the most nauseating post of 2013

[David48]

I might have sex twice, but other than that, just a normal day.

Once @ Christmas and again on your Birthday?

Sorry mate ... Merry Christmas ...

Stand up, Stand up ... Stand up if you're 3 - nil up

[David48]

Christmas for me is a sad day, a day when people with no sanity celebrate a fairytale, Im always staggered at how many people "believe"

If there were no humans there would be no Christmas...........says it all really!

I always laugh cos Coca Cola invented Santa Claus as a marketing gimmick.

Actually, what Coke did did was to alter the image to a fat jolly, white bearded dude, the popular image we have today.

I don't worship 'Santa', I revel in the Spirit of Christmas ... Santa is just functioning aspect which the Children enjoy.

That said ... your opinion is equally valid ... just that it's not mine.

.

[lovinglifeinthailand]

I felt the same as the op, I have spent the last 3 Christmas away in india, oz and Thailand, it did lose its appeal.

At the moment I am in a Bangkok airport hotel waiting for a flight to England in the morning. The excitement has come

back, looking forward to my mum's roast and the excited nieces.

Thankfully I will be back in 7 weeks, cant stand the cold weather anymore.

[CIHUAHUA]

For me, since my daughter is grown up an off at Uni, its just another day, Without kids around ........

Personally i hate the way Thais have fully taken Xmas as another excuse to spend money and cash in with the tourist ( like the Manditory dinner for 1,000 baht)

The Thais would not understand that is true. I miss the time when all the family got together and friends for the holidays. It was the time in my life when you saw the people you loved all together on a day or two during the cold of winter. It was a time when I went to church, no other time, and listened to the children sing Christmas songs red noses and ear muffs. We were poor and had little money for fancy gifts so we gave each other little wrapped items like a pack of gum or a tooth brush and we laughed for it all. We all knew what Christmas was all about, Jesus and all but it was our time of family. This is the time this old man remembers but Christmas is nothing without them at all.

[thailiketoo]

Christmas for me is a sad day, a day when people with no sanity celebrate a fairytale, Im always staggered at how many people "believe"

If there were no humans there would be no Christmas...........says it all really!

I always laugh cos Coca Cola invented Santa Claus as a marketing gimmick.

1823 Twas the night before Christmas

Down the chimney St Nicholas came with a bound.

He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,

And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot.

A bundle of Toys he had flung on his back,

And he looked like a peddler, just opening his pack.

His eyes-how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!

His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!

His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,

And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow.

He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,

60 Years later.

Coke founded 1892

Edited December 23, 2013 by thailiketoo

[kikoman]

I miss the Tamales,

Cheers

[cracker1]

One of the great things about Thailand many years ago when I came to stay was that Christmas was unknown. In most European and South Pacific country's it has become a major commercial opportunity that retailers here are starting to realise. Walk in to any large Tesco now and look at the displays.

Rather sad I feel.

[JoeLing]

I always have a party but haven't celebrated Christmas for many decades.
I don't give presents but mostly, I get presies from other people with a card
saying: "Happy Birthday"

[InTransit]

I love Christmas, I have 2 small children and watching them get more and more excited as it gets closer to Christmas is priceless. I will be going round a friends house for a full spread, he has got a 12lb turkey with all the trimmings. He also has two small children and we will be playing party games and listening to some old Christmas carols while sipping on an ice cold beer. Turkey stew and football on Boxing day, bring it on, Merry Christmas all.

P.S. Charles Dickens "A Christmas Carol" is my fav xmas movie.

[Sam Gold]

Never cared about Xmas for 15 years, and then had a kid and it's back to buying a tree, decorating, wrapping presents and guess what... it's great.

[amykat]

To the OP ... Christmas is what you make ... not what it does for you.

If you choose to ignore it ... it will ignore you.

Sure, it mightn't be like Christmas back 'home' or when you were younger ... but isn't that the Joy of travelling?

Had you said that you were posting from Iran ... sure ... I could sympathise with your feeling.

It's true, Christmas can feel like a lot of work. But when you look back on all the Christmases in your life, you'll find you've created family traditions and lasting memories. Those memories, good and bad, are really what help to keep a family together over the long haul. MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU ALL

.

I agree with David ...

I did ignore Xmas mostly, here in Thailand, no family, no husband, in some ways this was good for me ....and then time passed, and I adopted a child, she was 2, and that was 6 years ago. The first few Xmas were mostly crap ...I didn't make a big deal out of it, and she didn't know the difference.

But now time has passed, and she began to understand these things, I made more and more effort each year, which she enjoys, more and more.

We have done the "whole Xmas deal" for the last few years, and it just gets better and better!

I guess at some point you just need some motivation for these things, to make them good? I just got off Skype tallking to my 91 year old Grandmother, that was just GREAT! And so SAD! It is really making me feel the negative consequences of family being apart. I think I need to make a trip with my daughter soon.

Anyway, happy Xmas to all, and hope you are enjoying it, even if you are mostly ignoring it. It doesn't always have to be that way ...life gets better!

[Gandtee]

After twenty odd years here I still put up a real tree and have turkey with the trimmings on Christmas day. My Thai nieces and nephews loved it when they were kids and even though adults now, still try to join me, my wife and grandson for Christmas, who incidentally stopped believing only last week, and he is twelve but is still looking forward to what 'Santa' will leave him under the tree. To me Christmas is what you make it for yourself and others. Don't wait for it to be made for you. Merry Christmas to all! Humbug? Nah.

[maccaroni man]

I lived 16 yrs in se Asia and I found Bali to be the most fun for Xmas what I enjoyed most about the season was its novelty to my Asian family; there was no expectation of gifts or ceramoni to them it was just a tourist holiday. I felt free from the stress of expectation that I carried in the west. This Xmas will be my second holiday season in the USA, we don't have a tree, lights or any plans for the 24th, 25th, or 1st. My children are fine with this however feelings of shame and guilt are beginning to stir because I know all my children's friends and school mates are celebrating while I am trying to ignore it.

[David48]

I always have a party but haven't celebrated Christmas for many decades.

I don't give presents but mostly, I get presies from other people with a card

saying: "Happy Birthday"

Thanks for posting Joe as it highlights 2 things for me.

One, from my experience, if TESCO and the like are your only real options ... greeting cards are scarce.

But, more importantly, spare a thought for the tens of millions of people who are born in the week before Christmas and the few days after it who have, for ages gotten a 'combined' Birthday/Christmas gift.

My neighbour was born today, Christmas eve ... as was a very porominient member here on Thai Visa .. HAPPY BIRTHDAY ahoy to you Mr *****

Must also give a nod to Jingthing who taught me something recently. If you don't know JT's Jewish ... but I never knew that it wasn't part of the Jewish Faith to Celebrate Christmas.

So to JT, and others of the Jewish Faith here, the appropriate greeting is Happy Holidays.

amykat above ... +1 ... I've ran out of likes (again) for this day.

.

[samjaidee]

Yes, just another day, teaching as usual. The only good thing is that we get an hourly bonus for turning up on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Yippee.

A happy, prosperous and healthy new year to all Thai Visa members.

[Jingthing]

I always have a party but haven't celebrated Christmas for many decades.

I don't give presents but mostly, I get presies from other people with a card

saying: "Happy Birthday"

Thanks for posting Joe as it highlights 2 things for me.

One, from my experience, if TESCO and the like are your only real options ... greeting cards are scarce.

But, more importantly, spare a thought for the tens of millions of people who are born in the week before Christmas and the few days after it who have, for ages gotten a 'combined' Birthday/Christmas gift.

My neighbour was born today, Christmas eve ... as was a very porominient member here on Thai Visa .. HAPPY BIRTHDAY ahoy to you Mr *****

Must also give a nod to Jingthing who taught me something recently. If you don't know JT's Jewish ... but I never knew that it wasn't part of the Jewish Faith to Celebrate Christmas.

So to JT, and others of the Jewish Faith here, the appropriate greeting is Happy Holidays.

amykat above ... +1 ... I've ran out of likes (again) for this day.

.

I am not of the Jewish faith but good on you for trying to understand. Many Jewish people in the USA have an ironic tradition of going out for CHINESE food on Christmas day. (The Chinese restaurants are always open Christmas and escaping from Christmas kitsch to Chinese Buddhist kitsch decorations is always welcome.) Not sure if Jews in other countries do that but it's a delicious custom. Happy Festivus!

Edited December 23, 2013 by Jingthing

[David48]

^^ Wrong again ...

Glad this is also the season for goodwill to all men (and women and since this is Thailand, in-betweens)

[JoeLing]

I always have a party but haven't celebrated Christmas for many decades.

I don't give presents but mostly, I get presies from other people with a card

saying: "Happy Birthday"

Thanks for posting Joe as it highlights 2 things for me.

One, from my experience, if TESCO and the like are your only real options ... greeting cards are scarce.

But, more importantly, spare a thought for the tens of millions of people who are born in the week before Christmas and the few days after it who have, for ages gotten a 'combined' Birthday/Christmas gift.

My neighbour was born today, Christmas eve ... as was a very porominient member here on Thai Visa .. HAPPY BIRTHDAY ahoy to you Mr *****

Must also give a nod to Jingthing who taught me something recently. If you don't know JT's Jewish ... but I never knew that it wasn't part of the Jewish Faith to Celebrate Christmas.

So to JT, and others of the Jewish Faith here, the appropriate greeting is Happy Holidays.

amykat above ... +1 ... I've ran out of likes (again) for this day.

.

Well actually David,

I don't get a birthday card because TESCO doesn't have x-mas cards

but because my birthday is TOMORROW - Christmas Eve.

Now please don't send me a X-mas card because they run out of

Birthday cards

So whatever your faith, even if you don't have any, I wish just about everyone

(except Suthep and Thaksin) a very, merry, jolly good happy day - every day

[Jingthing]

I like that. Be merry everyday. But don't go overboard or you might get sent to the asylum.

[JoeLing]

I like that. Be merry everyday. But don't go overboard or you might get sent to the asylum.

Hey, I live in Thailand on Koh Phangan.

I think I'm already in the asylum, so no worries

Although, could be worse.

Could be one of those two "Pee" places

[David48]

I always have a party but haven't celebrated Christmas for many decades.

I don't give presents but mostly, I get presies from other people with a card

saying: "Happy Birthday"

Thanks for posting Joe ...

... spare a thought for the tens of millions of people who are born in the week before Christmas and the few days after it who have, for ages gotten a 'combined' Birthday/Christmas gift.

My neighbour was born today, Christmas eve ... as was a very prominent member here on Thai Visa .. HAPPY BIRTHDAY ahoy to you Mr *****

Well actually David,

I don't get a birthday card because TESCO doesn't have x-mas cards

but because my birthday is TOMORROW - Christmas Eve.

Now please don't send me a X-mas card because they run out of

Birthday cards

So ... there you have it ... member revealed ...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY Mr Joe.

Actually, presuming that there's 50,000 members on Thai Visa ( I have no idea) ... then that would make, in the 10 days surrounding Christmas, 1,400 celebrating a birthday that's linked to Christmas.

To you lot ... Happy Birthday also ...

[Ghostnigel]

What Clissmas? I flom UK, me not know, what i missing? ....sorry, got stuck in Tinglish there.

I cannot do Christmas as well as my Mum and Dad, but they are gone now, bless them. i have 4 brothers, and xmas was ggggreat. I will never be able to replicate those perfect times, so i just sort of switch off at this time of year, it's actually easier to get through Christmas time in Thailand, although its there, its not as big as in England, or any other Christian country for that matter, so i don't feel like a 'humbug' so much here.

Anyway, that won't stop me from wishing you all a very, very Merry Christmas, and a Prosperous New Year (Thai Baht permitting)...cheers, have good one everybody!!

[smooth expat]

I've been here 5 years and I just can't get into the Xmas mood. The fact that it doesn't snow here is a big reason why. It just doesn't feel like it.

[Ulic]

Christmas is for kids. Which does not mean i is just like any other day. Gives me a chance to skype family

and friends back in Canada. BTW. My mother tells me its cold and there is a metre of snow on the ground

on the yard. She is coming mid January for a two month visit. A couple of her sisters are coming from France

for a month.They are all looking forward to what they call cold here in Thailand.

[dotpoom]

As with all else in life, Christmas is to me what I make of it, i am fortunate enough to have had some fond memories of the efforts my parents made to bring the spirit of Christmas into our home. I also remember the church going and being reminded that we were celebrating a birth first and foremost. I continue with these practices to this very day and I am amazed how much my wife (Thai) loves the spirit of it all. Only last night she said we will light candles on the dining table on Christmas eve (tonight). I have a lighted tree in my front garden and have been playing Christmas songs by all my favorite singers (loud) and that really stirs me up spiritually.

Happy Christmas one and all and may you have a peaceful and prosperous New Year.

[kannot]

Christmas for me is a sad day, a day when people with no sanity celebrate a fairytale, Im always staggered at how many people "believe"

If there were no humans there would be no Christmas...........says it all really!

I always laugh cos Coca Cola invented Santa Claus as a marketing gimmick.

1823 Twas the night before Christmas

Down the chimney St Nicholas came with a bound.

He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,

And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot.

A bundle of Toys he had flung on his back,

And he looked like a peddler, just opening his pack.

His eyes-how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!

His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!

His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,

And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow.

He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,

60 Years later.

Coke founded 1892

My quote is nothing to do with Santa its about RELIGION. Santa is just another "lovely" way children can be indoctrinated ( vile) from a young age into the arms of religion.