Thais explain what Christmas means to them

[alex88]

I am an athiest but I still love to celebrate christmas. It has nothing to do with religion in my family. Just a fun time to get together and have a bit of a party

[garrya]

For me Christmas is terror.

Car bombs, suicide bombers, kidnapping??

[garrya]

Frankly i enjoy christmas in Thailand,without the absurd commercial hype that it has become in the west,no surprises in the article,being a Buddist country,what else would they think.

What are you talking about? Christmas in Thailand is nothing but absurd commercial hype. At least in the West there is an understanding of the spirit of Xmas, that doesn't have to be about religion and goes way way deeper than the stupid Coca Cola man that the Thais expect their farang teachers to clown dress up as.

Do you know how silly you sound? This "spirit of Xmas" in the west was lost a long time ago. There's much more commercial hype BS in the west than in Thailand. Open your eyes a bit. The Thais just go with the flow, sort of like Valentine's Day and Halloween. But if you're not a devout Christian, of course it's not going to mean as much.

I believe your own lack of insight and denial of most Westerners who actually do celebrate with their families and try to show goodwill is really making you look like the silly one. The over-commercialization in the West is very different to the Asian version, where there is no underlying peace and goodwill or any effort towards togetherness.

Your claim "This "spirit of Xmas" in the west was lost a long time ago" is absolute garbage unless based on Christianity. Are you trying to push religious dogma here? Otherwise, open your own eyes to the vast majority of Western households celebrating Xmas whilst bemoaning its commercialization: because they know damn well the shops are overdoing it but they'll still get with their families on Xmas Day.

Really, you're just blowing hot air whilst trying to score points.

Agree with this. Most of the people I know usually get together with their families for Christmas.

[Tham1]

Many Thai have asked me what is the correlation between Santa and Jesus Christ. Of course, there isn't any. Christmas is supposed to be the birth of Christ, but it isn't. This makes everything terribly confusing. But not to worry, because Westerners don't really understand what's going on either.

Christmas is just goofing off and nothing more. So go ahead and good off and enjoy it.

We always feel we need a good excuse to feel happy, alive, and kind toward one another. We don't. We can do that anytime, everyday. The good thing about Christmas is that some who are never inspired to be nice Will be nice on Christmas. That's something to look forward to.

Christmas is nonsense. Enjoy your nonsense!

You are wrong, If you check you will find Santa was JCs great Grandson born in Lapland - don't you know anything?

[Seastallion]

Merry Thursday, everyone.

[geodesic]

Christmas is nothing more than the Christian extension of the pagan ritual of Saturnalia. Has absolutely nothing to do with the birth of a mythical individual who likely never even existed as a real person. Still, the Catholic church managed to get alot of mileage out of it, and coming as it does around the winter solstice ensures that there were few people in the northern hemisphere doing any kind of farming at that time. Might as well join the party.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saturnalia

[Blackfish64]

He's hungry?

[Strangebrew]

Real meaning of Christmas Is partly about Christ and partly about giving and sharing And Yes there is a Santa Claus his real name is Kris Kringle he lived several hundred years ago in Germany I believe he is the one who stated the gift giving thing. Also for those not familiar the tree was hung upside down from the ceiling. It is a time of the year we become more aware of fellow man for most of us anyway. a time we try or at least try to renew our faith in our God and others. So Merry Christmas All and A big Bah Humbug to you grumps. So lighten up enjoy the time reflect on the year and try to do better the next year. Oh yes And Peace on EARTH for all mankind And a Big HO HO HO from old Saint NICK

[thailiketoo]

I thought it was a Pagan holiday because of the tree. http://www.history.com/topics/christmas/history-of-christmas-trees

[kurnell]

Born in a brothel perhaps. Fitting for fantasy strory

[JungleBoy2]

ONLY answer is MONEY!!!!

[Datebayo]

LOL asking the locals what Christmas means in a Buddhist country ...

Well, lemme tell you what it means to the Thais: It means a 10 days holiday and celebrate with the moneys they made/saved the whole year, with their families.

Plus, the wonderful expensive christmas and new years gifts from farangs is very welcome

Edited December 25, 2014 by Datebayo

[Berkshire]

I believe your own lack of insight and denial of most Westerners who actually do celebrate with their families and try to show goodwill is really making you look like the silly one. The over-commercialization in the West is very different to the Asian version, where there is no underlying peace and goodwill or any effort towards togetherness.

When people tell me that Christmas is about peace and goodwill, I always ask them why this can't be a year-round thing, why only this time of year? I could never get a good answer.

Point is, why do you feel a need to criticize the Asians for trying to be receptive of western culture and rituals? I don't see the west embracing Buddhist and Hindu holy days. Don't be such a hater.

[Blackfish64]

I'm antitheist, so I don't embrace any religious stuff. I'm hoping all of it will go away all over the world. And they can take the State with it, too.

I was born too soon. I want to be around a couple hundred years from now when religion God and the State are all finally done away with and we live happy peaceful productive lives for a change.

[pgs]

If Jesus even existed in the first place, that is.

If he did, I suppose he would have had darker olive skin.

Bit hard for the Romans to crucify someone that wasn't there.

The harder one to follow is that 'birthday' remains the same each year (albeit on the wrong date), but the death date changes yearly.

All the Easter crap should be in the stores from tomorrow - if they weren't already on sale last week.

[Blackfish64]

The thing to remember here is that while whether Jesus Christ existed or not is yet to be proved or disproved, the Romans did in fact exist and did in fact crucify enemies of the State. Even children. so, religion, the State, it's all the same to me... Cruel, oppressive nonsense.

[Donutz]

Many Thai have asked me what is the correlation between Santa and Jesus Christ.

You could tell them that the Christians took the Germanic ritual for the longing of days and decided to make it Christ's birthday around that date (I think it was the Roman emperor August who picket the 24th?). Christianity started to dominate Europe, there were several famous monks/priests, one of them was Nicolas. He became a saint. Saint Nicolaus. Several western countries celebrated something around Saint Nicolaus. The Europeans sailed over to the continent of America, slaughtered the Indians, established cities. The Dutch brought Saint Nicolaus (Sinterklaas) to New Amsterdam (New York) and then it evolved (or devolved?) into Saunta Claus. Coca Cola made him fatt. But this fatt old man used to be a catholic priest, a follower of christ. And christmas is a mix of old germanic celebrations (the tree) and christian elements (bibical story of his birth).

I don't like Christmas here because Thais think just cause I have white skin I'm supposed to be celebrating it. I thought I could escape such inanity in non-Christian country but apparently not.

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Apparently it is open to black people as well JT.

Leave the Dutch out of this!

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The Dutch brought the US Saunta Claus, so you cannot leave them out. And now some silly people from across the pond start whining about Dutch Saunta and his black helpers (elsewhere it are demons, it's an other oe of those stories that is a gigantic mix and match melting pot of folkore, religion, tradition etc. ). And here I was hopinhg Thailand would be a save haven from the Black Pete hysteria.