The Christmas holiday celebrations in Southeast Asian countries may be a little different from the festivities that are observed in other parts of the world. The way this festive occasion is observed will depend on the religion/s of a given country – you can expect to see more Christmas celebrations and decorations in countries where Christianity has a big influence. A white Christmas may not be what you will see in Southeast Asia, but there are definitely other interesting sights and sounds to experience as you go around the countries during this festive season.
Read on to have an idea of how some Southeast Asian countries celebrate the Christmas holiday season:
Malaysia:
Christmas is a public holiday in Malaysia, and festivities are observed throughout most of the country even though the main religion is Islam. Urban hubs such as Kuala Lumpur and the Klang Valley light up with spectacular lights and colorful Christmas decorations, which adorn both private homes and commercial establishments. Decorations are mostly non-religious, such as candy canes, Christmas trees, Christmas ornaments, and an explosion of red, green, white, and gold colors. The festive atmosphere is even more pronounced in shopping malls and hotels, which use this season’s celebrations as a way of attracting even more customers to their establishments. The Christian community observes the four-week period of Advent before Christmas with activities such as choir singing, community outreach programs, Bible readings, and prayer meetings.
Philippines:
As one of the predominantly Catholic/Christian countries in Asia (the other being East Timor), the Philippines observes the Christmas holiday season in a huge way. The Philippine Christmas celebration holds distinction as being the longest in the world, as Christmas carols can be heard as early as September; sometimes the holiday festivities and observance can last until the 9th of January (the Feast of the Black Nazarene). Private homes, shopping malls, and other commercial establishments have been known to start putting up colorful holiday lights and decorations as early as September of October. The “official” start of the holiday season for most Filipinos begin with the Simbang Gabi (Night Mass), which is the devotional series of masses starting at 4 or 5 in the morning for nine days practiced by Roman Catholics and Aglipayans in anticipation of Christmas; the last day of the Simbang Gabi, on Christmas Eve, is called Misa de Gallo (Rooster’s Mass) – which is usually followed by the traditional Noche Buena feast. Christmas parties and family reunions are common during the Christmas season in the Philippines, and these occasions are marked with an abundance of food, music, and gift-giving.
Thailand:
Although majority of the Thai are Buddhists, they still like to take part in the Christmas celebrations. Christmas is not a holiday in Thailand, so people will still go to work if the 25th of December falls on a weekday. Students will likewise still have to go to school on Christmas day, and will do so with more excitement as they look forward to experiencing the holiday spirit, mostly with Santa Claus giving away treats as the children arrive in the school grounds. In the northeastern part of Thailand, where there are larger Christian communities, homes are decorated with festive lights and Christmas ornaments; parades with giant floats, nativity plays, and Christmas Mass are also observed in this part of the country.
Vietnam:
Christmas is one of the most important festivals in Vietnam, as majority of the Vietnamese became Christians during the French rule. Christmas is celebrated in a huge way, especially in big cities such as Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, where people go into the city center during Christmas Eve to take part in the festivities on the streets. Christians in Vietnam traditionally attend a Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve, and go home to share specially-prepared dinner feasts with their loved ones. The generosity of the Vietnamese shines even brighter during the Christmas season with abundant gift-giving, a tradition that the children look forward to every year with much eagerness.
Singapore:
Orchard Road, the premier shopping belt in Singapore, lights up as early as November every year as part of the preparations for the Christmas celebrations; the festive lights and decorations can also be seen in the Marina Bay area, to be enjoyed until the early part of January. Buildings and malls on Orchard Road are wonderful sights to behold during this season (a public holiday in Singapore), as they compete with one another for the annual Best Dressed Building contest – one can just imagine the spectacular visual feast these buildings will present! The week leading to Christmas is filled with activities such as float parades, stage performances, dioramas, Nativity scenes, musical festivals, and Christmas caroling in various parts of the country. The island of Sentosa has its own abundant Christmas holiday celebration, starting with the whole precinct being lighted up in a synchronized manner in late November.
Indonesia:
Christmas is a national holiday and a popular festival in Indonesia, even though Christianity accounts for only about 8% of the population. Different parts of the country where Christian communities are located have their own traditional Christmas celebrations, including putting up elaborate Christmas decorations and lights to mark this joyous season.
Photos by blogjunkie, rhoelilagan, drburtoni, plusgood, chooyutshing and ToGa Wanderings
