That time of year

Well I thought this year I would be too busy to post my traditional Christmas blog. After all, I was working until 3pm today. Oh OK, not actually working but taking part in the school's day of fun involving games for the little ones and a concert for the older kids, by the older kids. Some of them were damn good, too.

And to answer my good man Vertigo, Santa is not dead - I saw him today and last week - and he does appear to Buddhist children, at least a big portion of them.

My family always have a traditional Christmas. It's gift exchanges in the morning, followed by a big slap up lunch, then a movie with an optional nap and finally drinks and cards in the evening. Then Boxing Day was the time Dad and I would go and watch some team stuff us four or five nil.

Like many expats, Christmas is the time when I miss my family and friends back home the most. Still, at least Thai people get into the spirit a bit and we have traditional pubs and festivities going on. This year though, with my son running up a big private hospital bill - though he seems to be getting better slowly, which is what counts - and the airport hijack affecting my wife's business, we'll be keeping it lean. Never mind, younger kids don't worry about ipods or cars, they just enjoy the fun and appreciate what they get.

What will lie ahead in 2009? Well for me there will be another addition to the family. It's an exciting time, but I'll also be keeping focused on my long term plans for business and life.

For Thailand, I am mildly optimistic that as long as Aphisit can hold on for six months, he can bring some stability to the LOS and return some unity. For the UK and Thailand, the credit crunch aftershock will really be felt next year. Let's just pray none of us are causalities. That's really all we can do about that.

Enough waffle. Merry Christmas to all readers, bloggers, red shirts, yellow shirts, farangs, Thais, conservatives, leftists and Saints fans. But not Spurs fans.

I'll leave you with a message from my Saturday class. I hope the poor sound quality will not hinder its spirit.

Christmas in Thailand

Christmas in Thailand

I'll shamelessly admit it. I'm one of those people that loves a cheesy Christmas. When I was a kid, I wouldn't sleep at all on Christmas Eve. My parents would leave a stocking and "The Beano Annual" outside my door, as soon as they turned in, I'd grab it, read it, and then bug my parents every ten minutes from 5am onwards until they agreed to start opening presents.

It won't be long before I play the dad's role in that commotion I guess, but the last few years have not felt like Christmas at all. Thailand is of course, a Buddhist country but like most of the world they have jumped on the idea of shop sales and an excuse to dress up. It's just not the same though. Christmas day is another working day, the temperatures are high and there is no spirit.

This year things have been different. My new school attempts to teach students the cultures of Buddhist and Christian religions. As such, last Friday was Christmas party - complete with a Santa and hundreds of excited kids - as the pupils were dismissed for ten days holiday. Even more amazingly, the temperatures have dropped. Yes it's true, Bangkok has been almost as cold as London in the mornings at least. It's all added up to a bit of a Christmas feel.

My new years resolution - I'm one of the few that sometimes keeps them, I even gave up smoking one year - is to get my finances in order. Tough but doable.

So whoever you are, wherever you are, happy Christmas. May 2007 be a year of less deaths in the name of religion.