Do you dream of a white Christmas or a tropical Christmas?
Only three more sleeps, then it’s Christmas …
Yes, in a few days it’s already Christmas Eve. Time — especially the Christmas season — always passes so quickly. Just a few weeks ago, everything was decorated for Halloween and shortly after, the spiders and ghosts were replaced by Santa Clauses and Christmas trees. And here in Thailand the whole thing goes even faster than in Germany. From one day to the next, a complete mall has changed and is no longer spooky but everywhere Christmas decorated and furnished.
Although here already in November the Christmas music in the malls, trains and cabs ran it does not seem to me as if it were in a few days already Christmas Eve. There has been a Christmas atmosphere for weeks and everything is tuned to Christmas, but somehow it is still a bit unreal. But maybe it’s just because this year it will be a tropical and not a cold, snowy Christmas for us. Christmas at 30 degrees on the beach, some may dream of. For us it is reality this year.
But it can also get really cold in the malls. In Terminal 21 there is even a small ice skating rink under the Eiffel Tower. Yes, okay, it’s not real ice, but at least you get ice skates with special cups and the Christmas trees and the fairy lights make it look like ice. And it seems to be just as slippery when you look at the people taking a spin there. It’s definitely very fun to watch and also a great idea. Ice skating under the Eiffel Tower in Thailand — you don’t get that every day either.
A Christmas tree must not be missing at Christmas!
At least I am firmly convinced that a Christmas tree simply belongs to Christmas. Without a tree it is somehow not a real Christmas for me. Two years ago, we have already spent the Christmas season in Asia (Thailand and Malaysia) and flew back to Germany just a few days before Christmas Eve. At that time, of course, my apartment was not decorated for Christmas and I did not have a Christmas tree. Why also, since I traveled at that time in September to Thailand.
Although we actually had only a few days until Christmas Eve and Christmas itself also spent with our families, I still decorated the entire apartment Christmas and also set up a real, big Christmas tree. Within a few days, Marc and I had a very Christmasy apartment and our own Christmas tree. This remained then but also until mid-January — we have then simply extended the Christmas season a bit. But the tree must not be missing!
Last year, unfortunately, we had to return to Germany at the end of the summer because of Corona. There we had our own apartment — once again — and spent the entire Christmas season there. The sad thing: because of the pandemic, all Christmas markets were canceled and outside was also little Christmas spirit. Occasionally there were trees and Christmas decorations but nothing compared to the many, large Christmas markets that were otherwise in Cologne. And we actually had the perfect apartment between 4 large Christmas markets. Very sad.
To give the whole thing nevertheless a Christmas glow, then just the apartment shone through a lot of decoration and equal to two real Christmas trees. A large one in the living room and another smaller one — which Marc had ordered as a surprise for me at the hardware store — in the office. So not only did everything smell fresh and like a forest, but we had our own little Christmas market in the apartment, so to speak. Hohoho, or what else can you say?
Well, this year we are in Thailand for Christmas. The apartment we rented is of course not decorated for Christmas. But since it is unfortunately not worth it to buy new decorations for a few weeks, we have agreed on a Christmas tree. Here, unfortunately, there are no real firs — yes, I’ve been looking for extra — but we found a pretty artificial tree. In addition, a little decoration: balls in red and gold — traditional, and a few fairy lights and we have the right Christmas mood and our own tree here in Thailand!
Christmas with sand instead of snow
White Christmas — every child and many adults dream of it. I include myself there. Snow at Christmas makes this celebration something very special and magical. In the past there was often a white Christmas. But that has also changed in recent years in Germany, or rather many parts of Germany. In Cologne, for example, it snows very rarely and if the snow does not really remain but is rather a wet puddle. But in the Eifel, at least in winter, snow is still more frequent. That this happens at Christmas is not guaranteed but at least possible.
So last year at Christmas time we often made a trip to the snow in the Eifel. Everything is white, frosty and simply beautiful. Just exactly how you imagine a white Christmas. Snow-covered fir trees, glittering snowflakes and frosty breath.
I must be dreaming of snow this year. That it will snow in Thailand is probably an impossible undertaking. But what the heck. You just have to make the best of every situation and tropical Christmas with palm trees and sand instead of fir trees and snow has something. But I didn’t miss the chance to buy a red Christmas hat and proudly wear it on the beach or in the mall. And I am not alone with it. Especially many young Thai girls also wear caps or even more often hair bands with reindeer ears, snowmen or a little Secret Santa hat. And instead of white snow, there is white sand — or at least light sand.
And the malls are teeming with Christmas trees, artificial ice or white blankets to represent the snow. With a little imagination — and you should have it for Christmas — you can definitely imagine a white Christmas here!
Sure, it’s not necessarily the Christmas as you know it from the past. But I think every now and then you should get to know something new. It’s always exciting to see how other countries and cultures deal with traditional celebrations, how customs are adapted and adapted and how you can find a little piece of home everywhere in the world. In Cologne there is the saying “Home is where the Dome is”. Yeah okay. But I think that “Home is where the Heart is” is much more appropriate.
Home doesn’t have to be a place, an apartment or a house. It’s where you feel comfortable. You can make any place your home, and likewise, you can celebrate Christmas in any place while sticking to traditions. Even though you may have to change your ways a bit and adapt to the circumstances, it’s just a matter of will. Whether it’s a tropical Christmas or a frosty one, it’s the festival of love and love is all that matters.
So I wish you all a wonderful, contemplative Christmas time, a quiet, relaxed Christmas and of course lots of love, happiness and contentment!
Tropical Christmas greetings from us in Thailand! ❤
