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People do not normally associate Christmas with Southeast Asia.\u00a0 Most of the citizens in the region are not even Christians.\u00a0 However, you would be surprised to see how much of the holiday spirit is on display in Vietnam, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Myanmar.<\/p>\n
Christmas in Vietnam<\/strong><\/p>\n During the 19th<\/sup> and 20th<\/sup> centuries, many Vietnamese converted to Christianity making Christmas one of the four most important festivals of Vietnam (the other being the birthday of Buddha, the New Year and the mid-autumn festival).\u00a0 On Christmas Eve, many Vietnamese Christians attend Midnight Mass.\u00a0 The tradition of presents under the Christmas tree is also prevalent in Vietnamese Christians\u2019 homes.\u00a0 Many will also enjoy their Christmas supper consisting of Christmas turkey, chicken soup or pudding.\u00a0 One charming difference between Vietnam and the West is that children in Vietnam leave their shoes outside on Christmas Eve instead of stockings for Santa Claus.<\/p>\n Christmas in Thailand<\/strong><\/p>\n Christianity represents 0.008% of Thailand\u2019s population, with many concentrating in the northern part of the country.\u00a0 Christmas is celebrated in Thailand by the masses nonetheless.\u00a0 Decorations and songs can be heard as early as November and many Thais consider Christmas as part of the December and New Year festivities, with the King\u2019s Birthday (and Father\u2019s Day) being a holiday on the December 5th<\/sup> and Constitution Day being a holiday on the 10th<\/sup> of December.\u00a0 Christmas Day, however, is not a holiday in Thailand, though many expats and Thai Christians take leave on that day anyway.\u00a0 Like everywhere else in the region, Christmas corresponds with Thailand\u2019s peak tourist season, so hotels are usually full.\u00a0 Shopping malls and gift wrapping services in Bangkok\u2019s major malls are very busy during this time.\u00a0 You can also see Christmas tress being erected around the city, with the one in front of Central World shopping mall being the tallest in Southeast Asia.<\/p>\n Christmas in Laos<\/strong><\/p>\n If you want to escape all the festivities associated with Christmas and just relax in serenity and peace, Laos is the place to go.\u00a0 Although there are some Christians living in Laos, the festivities are not as prevalent as in Laos\u2019 neighbors such as Thailand and Vietnam.\u00a0 However, Christmas decorations are evident, if not scattered throughout Laos\u2019 major cities of Vientiane and Luang Prabang.\u00a0 Laos is known for its laid back and peaceful atmosphere so if you want a quiet and peaceful Christmas experience, then Laos is the place to go.<\/p>\n Christmas in Cambodia<\/strong><\/p>\n The decorations and jolly mood associated with Christmas is evident in Cambodia.\u00a0 Many hotels and guest houses are fully adorned with lights, decorations and Christmas trees.\u00a0 You may even see Christmas trees wearing striking tinsels, bells, garlands, figurines and multicolored lights on your site seeing tour around Cambodia.\u00a0 Christianity was first introduced to the country in 1660 by missionaries with the current estimate of Cambodia\u2019s population being Christian at 0.15%.\u00a0 Like other Southeast Asian countries, Cambodia offers unique and exotic gift ideas.<\/p>\n Christmas in Myanmar<\/strong><\/p>\n Compared to Thailand and Vietnam, there is not as much Christmas decorations in Myanmar.\u00a0 That does not mean there are none though.\u00a0 Like most of mainland Southeast Asia, Myanmar is not a Christian country, however the six tribes collectively known as Kachins are devout Christians.\u00a0 For them, the festive season starts early in December and like other Christians, attend mass on Christmas Eve and participate in Christmas carols.<\/p>\n December to February are the best months to visit Southeast Asia.\u00a0 The weather is cooler and dryer and the people are in the festive mood, whether they celebrate Christmas or not. You can visit EXO Travel at www.exotravel.com<\/a> and see our suggested tours in these five mentioned Southeast Asian countries.\u00a0 If you have any questions please feel free to contact us<\/a>.\u00a0 We are more than happy to answer your questions.<\/p>\n Merry Christmas from South East Asia!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\n People do not normally associate Christmas with Southeast Asia.\u00a0 Most of the citizens in the region are not even Christians.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[263,239,243,249,245,238],"tags":[279],"class_list":["post-945","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-arts-and-culture","category-cambodia","category-laos","category-myanmar","category-thailand","category-vietnam","tag-religion"],"yoast_head":"\n