Christmas in Thailand - celebrate or ignore?

[joe552]

I'd be interested to know if those of you who live in Thailand will celebrate Christmas in some way, or just ignore it? Hard to ignore it here in Europe.

One of things that I have always loved about spending Christmas in Thailand is that it is so easy to ignore Christmas and Christians as they act out their pagan celebration. Although I'm sure the silly old Nazi is making it harder for those of you in Thailand this year.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstop ... ality.html (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/religion/3916804/Pope-says-humanity-needs-saving-from-homosexuality.html)

This is the first year in the last five that I have not been in Thailand for Christmas. I am in culture shock here in California. I had forgot what a garish orgy of spending, eating, drinking and self indulgent behaviors Christmas is. People are enjoying spending, drinking, and eating themselves into oblivion. All the while praising Jesus through their drunken gluttonous spending frenzy. Then there are all of the depressed people who wonder the malls, bars, and streets in search of the peace and happiness that being a Christian promised them. I fly on JAN 6 and can hardly wait to get all of this Christian cultural dysfunction behind me.

If I am in thailand during the holidays I will decorate the same as if I am home. I don't go overboard on presents as I don't care for the commercial side but still will throw a small party for the boys and of course will do exchange gifts usually from a pile.

This is the 6th Christmas in Thailand and it is the 6th Christmas I won't celebrate. A bit mixed, because on one hand there is the urge to join in on some XMas party/dinner, but on the other hand, I'm not really bothered.
But it's not only XMas, it's also New Year, Songkran, and all the other celebrations.............They basically are held when I don't have the time.

Living in the West and not celebrating XMas, New Year or whatever thing to celebrate makes you an outsider. Being in Thailand makes you who you are, and if Thai ask me: "Joseph, where have you been last night for XMas-eve?" and I answer, Nowhere, I don't believe, they look a bit puzzled, say "Mai pen rai!" and go on with their lives. That's what I love about Thailand.

I'm not a Christian, and I don't buy into the whole Christmas-as-secular/commercial-holiday bit. Does that answer your question?

I'm trying to become a Christian but Aunty won't facilitate my accepting the Lord Jesus as my personal Lord and Savior.

I had forgot what a garish orgy of spending, eating, drinking and self indulgent behaviors

Sounds like many peoples idea of Thailand to me.