Christmas in Thailand – it could be worse

[Inspire]

Christmas in Thailand – it could be worse

Gerry Carter

 

 

It is always a scary moment – when you go into Central or some other emporium and Rudolf the Led Nose Leindeer comes on over the loudspeaker. And despite 35 degree heat outside everyone is invited to walk through this ‘winter wonderland’.

 

When you know that Christmas in Thailand is once again being thrust upon us.

 

Years ago before there was such a thing as a shopping mall in Bangkok you could completely avoid the so called festive season. Thais barely knew the term Melly Clitamart and the whole thing could be joyously sidestepped or completely ignored.

 

No one bothered you with revolting mulled wine, mince pies actually had meat in and the icing on the cake was that all the shops were open and the buses were running as normal. No ice, no sludge, no Wizard of Oz, no Christmas message. No one had a day off or even imagined December 25th had any significance whatsoever. Bliss.

 

For me that was the case in my first ten years of residence in the kingdom – until the children came along that is. Then the guilt trip started setting in:

Didn’t I always love the magic of Christmas as a child? Wouldn’t I be denying my “luuk khreung” children a basic human right by pretending it didn’t exist?

 

Reluctantly I had to admit that the answer to both questions was “yes” – now to come up with a strategy to make the pain of Christmas as slight and as fleeting as possible.

 

In the early 1990s I set about my BHS – “Bah Humbug Strategy”.

 

Key was deciding which attributes of Christmas to adopt in the tropics and which ones to reject outright.

 

Parties, mixing with others, socializing – rejected.

 

Having a nice Christmas day lunch – accepted. Turkey if you could get it was too expensive – Chicken was fine and tastier anyway.

 

Being a devout atheist there was no need for any religious nonsense to spoil the material nature of the occasion, otherwise known in my childhood home as the true meaning of Christmas.

 

So naturally presents for the kids was in. But seeing as there was no competition with other children and they would only get them from dad anyway, there seemed no need to be extravagant. Just wrap up their normal sweets and throw in a plastic toy or two.

 

Job done – this Asian Christmas lark was beginning to look like a piece of cake – without the cake of course, that would be well OTT.

 

Full story: http://www.inspirepattaya.com/lifestyle/christmas-thailand-worse/

 

 

 

-- © Copyright Inspire Pattaya 2016-12-18

 

[Rc2702]

Editor required.

[PatOngo]

Jinger Ben is still my favourite Chitmat calon.

Edited December 17, 2016 by PatOngo

[smotherb]

Been overseas all my life--spent most Christmases in the Middle East or Southeast Asia and my US home is Florida, so warm Christmases is the norm. Try the PI if you want an overdose of Christmas spirit

[chicowoodduck]

Bah and humbug as well....??

[toofarnorth]

Up here in woop-woop it is quieter then most years , don't know if it has to do with cut backs or if Lotus doesn't want to upset non Christians but last year and 6 before there was a Father xmas nodding at the entrance and inside dingen ben non stop , much better now.

[xerostar]

The OP reminds me of the character "Grinch".

[khunPer]

»Rudolf the Led Nose Leindeer« must be a misprint, I always hear "Ludolf the Led Nose Leindeer"...

[Davehappen]

Inspire, sometimes you write pure <deleted>, (in my opinion), this time you had me laughing. Thanks.

[BuaBS]

It annoys me to see all the xmas stuff BigC is selling . To whom , I'm wondering.

It annoys me even more that Thais say merry christmas to me , as if every white foreigner is automaticly "into" this religious c.r._.p.

[473geo]

Commercialism.......Valentines day, Halloween, Christmas......all injected into the Thai calendar, participate if you wish....I don't feel the need to have days of the year allocated to supply gifts and presents....I enjoy buying when I choose, and a little more frequently

 

Of course all a result of my upbringing, for example my mother insisted that flowers were well received any other day of the year "except mothers day" she claimed the price always went up that day!

[marko kok prong]

being a zorastian i have no intrest in it.

[NickJ]

I went to way more Christmas parties in Bkk when I was a working professional.  Also took me awhile to figure out why so many patients brought me towels as gifts.

In short. Christmas has evolved to a period of gift giving. Well..my mom once said Christmas is for the kids. Or to do something nice for someone.  Nothing wrong with that. I like the fact that alot of Thais even know what it is. 

I'm having a party with my second turkey as I was lucky to be able to both find them and afford them. Most of the people coming haven't ever had a slow roasted turkey and that's pretty cool. As mine are perfect.

The average Thai person works hard most of the time for very little in return so good on them that they take this day and have fun.

Not a bad time of the year at all.

I don't know Marko-KP , roasting zoo animals doesn't sit well with me.

For what it's worth.

Merry Christmas everyone.

Edited December 18, 2016 by NickJ
None

[Mansell]

1 hour ago, BuaBS said:

It annoys me to see all the xmas stuff BigC is selling . To whom , I'm wondering.

It annoys me even more that Thais say merry christmas to me , as if every white foreigner is automaticly "into" this religious c.r._.p.

Bah Humbug!

[Oishii]

The Druids started the celebrations near the end of December to coincide with the winter solstice.  They decorated a tree outside their houses with fruits like apples and pears.  This is where the idea of a decorated tree comes from.  Nothing to do with Christmas.

Christmas as we know it today was invented by Christians, in order to entice Druids to convert.  They told them that it was to celebrate,the birth of the son of God.  But, Jesus wasn't born in December.  The closest estimate is mid November.

i still follow the Druid practice of putting up a decorated tree, but that's as far as I go.

Christianity has a lot to answer for.  They lied in order to get people to convert.  What other lies have they told the world?

[Mansell]

I must admit I found it odd last Christmas in Sara Buri and carols in Lotus. I asked my wife if she knew what they were, and she said No. She lived in France for years, but came back in the winter so she missed the French version. Anyway, Merry Christmas to those that choose to have it.

[robertthebruce]

Christmas for me is for the Kids....

 

so so I don't really bother with it....

 

srill fond it strange, scorching outside and it's Christmas...but it beats the freezing cold...

[Mansell]

1 minute ago, Oishii said:

The Druids started the celebrations near the end of December to coincide with the winter solstice.  They decorated a tree outside their houses with fruits like apples and pears.  This is where the idea of a decorated tree comes from.  Nothing to do with Christmas.

Christmas as we know it today was invented by Christians, in order to entice Druids to convert.  They told them that it was to celebrate,the birth of the son of God.  But, Jesus wasn't born in December.  The closest estimate is mid November.

i still follow the Druid practice of putting up a decorated tree, but that's as far as I go.

Christianity has a lot to answer for.  They lied in order to get people to convert.  What other lies have they told the world?

That you would win the lottery!

[Rc2702]

1 minute ago, Oishii said:

The Druids started the celebrations near the end of December to coincide with the winter solstice.  They decorated a tree outside their houses with fruits like apples and pears.  This is where the idea of a decorated tree comes from.  Nothing to do with Christmas.

Christmas as we know it today was invented by Christians, in order to entice Druids to convert.  They told them that it was to celebrate,the birth of the son of God.  But, Jesus wasn't born in December.  The closest estimate is mid November.

i still follow the Druid practice of putting up a decorated tree, but that's as far as I go.

Christianity has a lot to answer for.  They lied in order to get people to convert.  What other lies have they told the world?

If it's a lie who's been climbing g down my chimney all these years? who ate all those pies?

[Khon Kaen Dave]

Oisheii

Just as many lies as any other religion has told its lies to the great unwashed to get them to convert.Over centuries.600years ago we all believed that if you didnt give to the church,then you went to hell and suffered eternal damnation.When we couldnt read or write,and worked,in shit, all hours for the lord of the manor,the church held the peasants in constant fear of the wrath of God and the clutches of the Devil.We would do anything to avoid the fires of hell.Look at the Spanish inquisition(no body expects the Spanish inquisition) Look how assassins were sent to England to kill Henry the eighth because he wanted to divorce Catherine of Aragon,by the pope.Look at islam,how it spews lies into its fighters,telling them that all non believers should be killed.Religion is a terrible thing when it attempts to control the ignorant.

[Khon Kaen Dave]

Oishee

But one thing i did find out was that we have coca cola to thank for Santa now being red,when for years he was green.

 

[Khon Kaen Dave]

Inspire.

i just about mange to meander through Central in Khon kaen with my wife screeching "yinger ben yinger ben yinger aw der way" I also told her that in Thailand it is an insult of the worst kind,against his religion, for an Englishman to buy gold as a present at Christmas time and he must refrain from this act for at least 6 month's.

[bandito]

Son of God?  he was nothing else as a revolutionair preaching against the Romans who had occupied Israel, his country. Been living in India too for sometime, fleeing the Romans who pursued him. Came back and got arrested. There is more but can't remember all.

Also, my theory is dat Josef was not his father and that his mother had a sexual relation  with another man, hence the unexpected birth without Josef knowing about the pregnancy, and being explained by his mother as the birth of the son of Jehova, the god of Israel.

As far fetched as the Bible stories.

Happy Hanukah.

[onthesoi]

12 hours ago, Oishii said:

The Druids started the celebrations near the end of December to coincide with the winter solstice.  They decorated a tree outside their houses with fruits like apples and pears.  This is where the idea of a decorated tree comes from.  Nothing to do with Christmas.

Christmas as we know it today was invented by Christians, in order to entice Druids to convert.  They told them that it was to celebrate,the birth of the son of God.  But, Jesus wasn't born in December.  The closest estimate is mid November.

i still follow the Druid practice of putting up a decorated tree, but that's as far as I go.

Christianity has a lot to answer for.  They lied in order to get people to convert.  What other lies have they told the world?

 

I'm sure the druids weren't the first to employ the darkest day of the year(in the northern hemisphere).

 

Christmas is really just a light show or maybe a dark show is more accurate, or is it more forward looking, celebrating the return to light/warmth, as the northern hemisphere begins it's tilt back towards the sun.

 

The old popes knew if they made Christmas day the same day as the solstice then the churches would be empty on Christmas day.

Edited December 18, 2016 by onthesoi

[rott]

14 hours ago, Oishii said:

The Druids started the celebrations near the end of December to coincide with the winter solstice.  They decorated a tree outside their houses with fruits like apples and pears.  This is where the idea of a decorated tree comes from.  Nothing to do with Christmas.

Christmas as we know it today was invented by Christians, in order to entice Druids to convert.  They told them that it was to celebrate,the birth of the son of God.  But, Jesus wasn't born in December.  The closest estimate is mid November.

i still follow the Druid practice of putting up a decorated tree, but that's as far as I go.

Christianity has a lot to answer for.  They lied in order to get people to convert.  What other lies have they told the world?

Well one lie that some of them tell is that when the communion wafer is blessed it becomes "literally, truly and substantially the body of Christ". And they would burn you at the stake if you argued about it.

 

Christmas has nothing to do with Christianity i.e. Scripture but it aint going away and it can be good so go with the flow and e joy it.

Edited December 19, 2016 by rott

[Deepinthailand]

Well as Christmas is for kids of a certain faith. And mine of that faith have grown up and my other one here is not of that faith. There will be no Christmas in my household again nor will there ever be whilst here. An over hyped over priced tradition aimed at putting pressure on parents to buy crap they can ill afford keep up with the Jones. 

[toofarnorth]

My TW wants to go to Central Plaza in Chiang Rai on xmas day for pizza , I wonder if it has roast turkey on it , will go well with God bless you Jerry mental men .

[Don Mega]

Where is the Clitamart ?

[xerostar]

19 minutes ago, Don Mega said:

Where is the Clitamart ?

 

I believe it's near the top end of Soi Jim ..

[JKfarang]

1 hour ago, Deepinthailand said:

...An over hyped over priced tradition aimed at putting pressure on parents to buy crap they can ill afford keep up with the Jones. 

 

I agree and was in that situation for several years though, thankfully, a long time ago.  Now I just write my few descendants a decent check to spend on whatever they wish (though would prefer to only do it for birthdays).  I suspect there are many people who spend money they don't have and businesses who would not survive another year if not for the Christmas shopping season.

 

Several years ago I saw a clip on one of the "fake news" (i.e. corporate news in America) channels showing a guy with a megaphone on a street in New York City at this time of year shouting "What would Jesus buy?".  I thought it was quite appropriate and humorous (in a disgusting sort of way).

 

Of course, everyone should have the right to celebrate (or not) as they consider appropriate.  But going further into debt, trampling over one another at Wal-Mart to fight for the best deals, etc, etc seems a bit ridiculous to me.