Christmas in Bangkok

Unlike some of the other un-Christian places where we’ve happen to be during the Christmas season, Christmas here in Thailand is pretty special, if not at times magical and spectacular. In Moracco, our Christmas cheer was rather stifled when we were told that any Christmassy music emanating from our resort hotel would get the hotel blown up due to the terrorist du jour getting their explosive laden panties tangled up into knots at the sound of jolly music, and god forbid, the sound of people having fun! And in Saudi Arabia, now don't get me started on Saudi Arabia...well Saudi Arabia being Saudi Arabia, let's just say that any inkling of Christmas merriment could have you sent off to Chop Chop square.  Nope, there was no Ho-Ho-Hoing with the folks in Riyadh that year.

Christmas palm trees, only in Thailand!

The fact there is Christmas in Bangkok speaks volumes about the Thai culture. How, in a country where 92% of people are Buddhist, is Bangkok awash in Christmas trees, Merry Christmas banners and even Christmas carollers? Because it’s all done with the uniquely Thai style of sanuk mak ma, the Thai persistency to achieve satisfaction and pleasure from whatever they do. This rule of living permeates pretty well in everything that happens here, and Christmas time is no exception. Simple, if it makes one smile, “isn’t it beautiful” outweighs any religious significance.  The concept of sanuk and enjoyment is a fundamental part of Thai culture. Thai people like to party and so any excuse for a celebration is gleefully seized upon. The religious meaning of Christmas might not be important to most Thai people, but they know it’s a time when other countries are celebrating and they are happy to join in with the party. Got to love those Thais!

This is our second Christmas in Bangkok, and although this year's event was a bit more subdued due to the passing of their beloved King, the impressive tinsel Christmas spirit was still very much present in the streets of Bangkok. On our late afternoon/early evening Christmas lights walking tour, it was still a bit surreal walking around looking at giant Christmas trees in 32 degree weather. The snowflakes painted on shop windows border were especially comical. While we have not encountered any Monks carolling or sitting beneath one of the giant Christmas trees that are at every major intersection and shopping mall, thousands of other Bangkokians are. Beer gardens from Tiger, Singha and Chang have been constructed around the giant tree in the primary shopping centre. In the mall, Santas ride golf carts, marching bands play carols and everyone is happy and snapping pictures. “Merry Christmas” is the greeting from all Thai people to any Westerner.

Evergreens have a hard time growing and surviving in 30 degree all-year-round heat, so fake Christmas trees are pretty well the norm here, except of course the 'genuine conifer Christmas trees' (I'm quoting their add here) from Sweden that the Bangkok IKEA imports.  Christmas in Bangkok, like everywhere else, means big business. Tourism is a major contributor to the Thai economy with the peak Christmas and New Year period usually being the most lucrative time of the year for the Thai tourist industry. So of course hotels and resorts ensure that those merry holidaymakers in Thailand don’t miss out on the Christmas festivities with gala dinners and special events being laid on. The real show-stopper, however, are the Christmas lights. I thought the Chinese had cornered the market on the bling bling look. I was wrong, Bangkok holds it own when it comes to decking out Christmas lights. The whole city is lit up and tarted up with sparkling lights. Buildings, trees, bridges, lamp poles and sometimes even tuktuks and street food stalls are adorned with colourful, twinkling lights, turning Bangkok into a glittering fairy wonderland.    

On our Christmas lights walking tour I shared another “Is this for real?” moment with Madeleine when we walked into a mall to escape the outdoor heat and Jingle Bells was blaring away. There was no reason for us to speak, the look that transpired was enough: two wide-eyed farangs jingling all the way in the middle of a shopping mall caught in a crowd of 200 merry Thai’s snapping selfies in front of an impressive giant white and gold Christmas tree, surrounded by red nosed white reindeer. Had to be there.  

The genuine enthusiasm challenges my cynicism. There is no worry of insulting someone with “Christmas” instead of “Holidays”, the trees and decorations are not blatant consumerism or pushing agendas. It is so nice to experience Christmas in a Buddhist country where there is no politically correct BS over the use of the word Christmas, or Christmas trees in public, or just being able to wish someone a Merry Christmas.  

Which brings me to the end of my last blog post of 2016. To all friends and family, from the Land of Smiles, I close off this post entry by wishing you all a very merry Christmas and prosperous new year. For those who may be offended in any way by the wording of my wish to you, or for those at the other end of the offending spectrum whose political, social, or religious sensitivities were wounded last year when Starbucks took the reindeers, snowflakes and fir trees off their red cups, may I also add to my wish that it is my heartfelt hope that you eventually 'get over it', hopefully soon.