Our World

Christmas does come to Thailand each year as the Thais do like holidays so they manage to celebrate as many as possible. However though the businesses do try to create the Christmas scene it is not quite the same. Last year we went to Hong Kong the week before Christmas but found that some of the festiveness had gone since the British returned the territory to China. However we were told that Singapore was now the Christmas capital of Asia so this year we were off to see it.

Arriving at the Singapore airport you immediately find that Christmas is a special holiday with huge flower displays and a massive inflatable Christmas Castle for the children to play. We arranged to stay along Orchard Road which is the main shopping area with more than a mile (1.6km) of shopping malls and department stores lining both sides of the street. Competition is keen to see who can deliver the most extravagant display of light and color. The road itself is covered with blue holiday lights hanging from the trees and light standards.

Music resounds everywhere with caroling groups and bands creating of virtual wall of Christmas music from one end of the road to the other. Large plastic enclosures were set-up to provide the children an opportunity to step into the freezing cold and feel actual snow falling on them. Note that coats, hats, boots and gloves were supplied and required for all those who wanted the experience. We noted that every business made some effort to provide the Christmas theme, even the House of Condom. The last picture below however does show that some visitors had other priorities than taking in all the Christmas atmosphere. For us a visit to Singapore should become a new holiday tradition, though we’ll be back in Chiang Mai for Christmas and our Annual Day After Christmas Party.