Christmas Celebrations in a Thai School
Guest Writer-Teacher Mikile-Tak, Thailand
The reality of my situation
Edgar Allan Poe wrote, "Words have no power to impress the mind without the exquisite horror of their reality."-
Their reality...
Whose reality?
Doesn't everyone have different realities and lives of their own?
This is my reality, and it is my hope that my words will hold some sway with you.
Christmas from memory
Ask anyone what Christmas means, and they will have myriad answers for you. Family, love, joy, hope, and new beginnings.
Back home in South Africa, everyone is on holiday during Christmas, spending time with their families, shopping for Christmas food and gifts, wrapping presents, and putting up the tree.
My 2022 Christmas Experience in a Thai School
In Thailand, it is different; Thailand does not recognize Christmas as a holiday, but that does not stop Thai people from celebrating it, and when Thai people party, they party hard!
We started planning two weeks prior when there was a public holiday on a Monday; I had nothing better to do than eat, play games, and watch TV. A teacher at school had requested help, so I decided to go and help her. We were wrapping boxes in gift wrap to put under a plethora of Christmas trees.
Becoming Santa Claus
In a meeting, I volunteered to be the Master of Ceremonies, along with another friend of mine, and we had the bright idea to dress up as Santa Claus.
On the day of the Christmas day activities, I had gate duty, so I decided to wear the suit while I performed my gate duty. It was terrific; students with their parents took pictures with me and the tree in the background.
It was magical. I don't mean that figuratively; seeing the joy on a child's face is magic!
Hearing their laugh is magical; you can call me crazy for believing that fact, but I want to believe that a child's laughter, a child's smile is magical, that at that moment, they don't worry about anything, it truly is magical!
Secret Santa-The Thai Way
As the students walked into school, they brought snacks, sweets, chocolates, and a gift. The classes were doing the 'Secret Santa' event, and the snacks were for the class, so everyone brought something.
It was a bring-and-share event that I had never seen before.
When I did my Secret Santa in my primary school, things were different. Everyone was limited to two or three snacks.
In Thailand, the students brought enough snacks for everyone in their class, so everyone had more than three snacks!
The School's Christmas Performances
The event started with some Christmas carols; a Thai teacher with a fantastic voice and impeccable English led the singing, which was beautiful.
After the songs, it was time to introduce the Director of the school; she stood up behind a podium, addressed the students and the staff, and wished everyone a Merry Christmas; after she finished, the teachers had streamer cannons, where we pulled on a string and confetti shot out everywhere!
Christmas Opening Ceremony in a Thai School. Streamer cannons are pulled, and confetti is shot out.
It was fun to shoot those streamers out of the cannons, watching the students laugh at our antics when we would pour the stuff that didn't come out onto other teachers.
It was then time for a dance, which was choreographed to the second; everyone played their role to the beat of the music.
Thai Cultural Revalations and my Enlightenment
Everything I had witnessed during the build-up to the Christmas celebration led me to notice the dedication of the participating students.
When they have a responsibility assigned to them, like a role in a dance or a play, or a cultural performance, they practice and practice until they can not practice anymore.
I witnessed two students that would practice and practice. These two students, boys, and girls, were selected for a unique Thai Cultural and traditional event.
For this event, they were required to practice bowing. They would get on their knees, with their heads bowed, and crawl towards a teacher rehearsing with them. Both the boy and the girl had to be entirely in synch.
They would practice doing that for an hour every day without complaint!
The fact that the students performing would be that dedicated to their duty and practice like that; was awe-inspiring!
During my cultural training with Matthew at Kids English Thailand, I learned how much regard Thai people place on the idea of 'face' and 'saving face.'
If they lose that sense of face, they feel a loss of respect; I did not think much of this initially because, you know, students don't take anything seriously, right?
That was an assumption that I had…and was glad to shed! The students did take it seriously!
That day revealed how seriously Thai people regard the concept of 'face.'
There was also a skit about Jesus Christ and how he was born with the three wise men, which lasted for about 10 mins; then it was time for a Santa Suit Judging Competition.
I had thought that my friend and I would be the only ones in Santa costumes, that we would rock up in our Santa outfits and rock the school with them, that students would look at us and laugh or come up to us and take pictures, and then I saw students coming to school in Santa outfits.
It was an ego deflation but a welcome one!
They took pride in their appearance and loved the opportunity to have fun and have a day doing something unique and exciting!
It was amazing how they were dressed; they were so vibrant, and it was striking to witness!
After that, the school had a raffle with stuffed toys; all the students' names were in a bucket, and whoever's name was pulled out got a stuffed toy.
Words cannot describe what happened when a child's name got called out!
When their name got called out, their friends cheered for them; they were genuinely happy that their friend got a gift instead of themselves.
Back home, we would clap when someone got a gift, with no cheering and no real sense of joy; maybe feelings of jealousy!
The Thai way was awe-inspiring to witness!
The sense of community and the collective culture I had learned about during my Thai Cultural Orientation playing out in front of my eyes felt illuminating!
Thai Classroom Christmas Activities
The Christmas event concluded, and the students entered their classrooms to exchange gifts and enjoy treats.
One teacher invited me to his classroom, where the students didn't know me, and I didn't know them; I had never taught them lessons; despite this, they just came and started giving me snacks.
At first, I thought only one or two students would give me something, but more and more just started giving me snacks. It got to the point where I couldn't carry everything!
Then a student brought two empty boxes for me to put the snacks in; suddenly, even more, students came and gave me gifts!
I shed a tear in private after that!
Never in my life have I felt so welcome or so accepted.
In my entire life, I have always felt unwanted, like I didn't fit in with anyone.
In my short life, I have three close friends that accept me for being me!
I have felt more welcome and accepted in Thailand than in my own house or country, which is saying something once you let that sink in!
If I can have all of this, ask yourself, why can't you?
Christmas in a Thai School Conclusion
Edgar Allan Poe wrote, "Words have no power to impress the mind without the exquisite horror of their reality."
I emphatically can't entirely agree with one word of this statement: "Horror." It should be majesty; words have no power to impress the mind without the exquisite majesty of their reality.
Anyone can be horrified by anything, written or spoken.
It takes a broad mind, understanding nuance, and respecting other people's realities to find new opinions and perspectives on what was said or written.
So, Merry Christmas, everybody, and have a Happy New Year.
'New Year' means new beginnings!
Let's make this year count!
Bring on 2023!
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