What do People in Thailand do for Christmas?

In Thailand, Christmas is one of many holidays celebrated. Since most of the people in Thailand are Buddhists, Christmas does not have the same meaning and traditions as it does in the US or UK.

Do people in Thailand have day off for Christmas?

Unfortunately, not everybody has a day off for Christmas since Christmas is not a Thai holiday. Some companies ask employees to choose their religious belief. If they are Christian then they would have Christmas off but not Buddhist holidays off and vice versa.

What do People in Thailand do for Christmas?

For Thai people who have days off for Christmas, they often just stay home and relax. Some people will still go to work even if it is a holiday if they have a lot of work to do to catch up on their work. Others may meet up with friends to do fun things such as watch a movie, do some shopping, go to a concert, go to a club, have a nice meal or take a river cruise for Christmas dinner.

Are there Christmas traditions in Thailand?

Unless you are brought up in a Christian family which most Thai people are not, there are not Christmas traditions in Thailand that people follow.

However, nowadays with so many foreign and western influences in Thailand (especially Bangkok) retail establishments are now decorating their places with tons of Christmas decorations, giving away Christmas gifts and giveaways to customers as well as hosting Christmas parties and playing Christmas songs and music throughout. You will also see Christmas decorations on the streets in some places. Most Thai people have got used to seeing a lot of Christmas hype around.

However, outside, on the streets, in Early December, you will see more of the King 's pictures and shrines dedicated to the King because the King of Thailand 's birthday is December 5th and most Thai people take that much more seriously than they do Christmas.

At schools, children often put on Christmas plays for parents and other students. Sometimes, it's a nativity story and other times it's other stories from the bible. Christmas is a good subject for school crafts and activities especially at Christian schools in Thailand and there are a lot of Christian schools in Bangkok. Most students who attend those Christians schools are Thai and are Buddhists, not Christian. Nevertheless, they participate in Christmas activities as if they were just any other fun and merry activities.

For most Thai families, Christmas is a holiday where they relax and have fun with their friends and family rather than celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ. Their real holiday is just around the corner -  the New Year Day celebration which is the biggest holiday for Thai people.