Hey-Ho Ho Ho Happy Christmas Countdown

Hello, hello how are you doing? We are doing just fine and counting down to our first-ever Bangkok Christmas. Christmas in Bangkok is a tad hit-and-miss here. 

It is, after all, a normal working day and not celebrated by most Thai people. You either have to search it out in the shopping centres or in the big hotels. 

Christmas Tree at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel, Bangkok

So to get in the Christmas spirit we visited my favourite lavish hotel, the one that starts with a private boat ride down the river. Does anyone else think that the Christmas tree at the Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok usually the epitome of style and elegance, looks a little well, how do I say it delicately, messy this year? 

Or does the designer have a great sense of humour? They have probably been given zero budget and just decided to throw everything at the tree they had in the cupboard. Ho Ho Ho.

Mandarin Oriental foyer 

I should say the tree looks better in the needle than in my photos. Anyway, they have absolutely nailed it as far as I am concerned. This is the epitome of everything a Covid Christmas tree should look like. It speaks to all my mantras for the year:

• Done is better than talking about it...
• Let's give it a go and see how far we get...
• It's the best that I've got right now...
• If you think you can do better...

Mandarin Oriental: 'Please Keep Your Distance'

Ho ho ho Christmas! It's been a right palaver, hasn't it? Has anyone sent Chrissy cards this year? We are not quite sure what our Thailand post is doing, but I can say a card has just arrived from the UK in less than 7 days - that's impressive, doubly so when I saw the sender spent GBP 2.50 to get it to us - ouch!

I used to love spending a weekend writing Christmas cards but this year people have hardly got a "Happy New Year - let's hope next year is better!" message. It's been a mad rush to get cards on planes to get them vaguely on the right continent! 

My Aussie cards went back with a friend and they have all done 14 days in quarantine in Sydney! Well apart from a pile I found in the study afterwards, if you are one of these friends, I promise I will make it up to you next year.

An American friend has flown back to the US with a card for my Aunt, the British family cards have all been couriered (talking of costly!) to my Mum, who bless her, will post. 

Cor blimey! It was another shock when I looked up the cost of a British stamp! But happy days, it's swings and roundabouts as none of the Aussie cards trickling through have been franked. Is it looking too much like Scrooge to steam them off to reuse?  More ho, ho, ho.

The rest of you are getting Happy New Year Thai style cards with a message in Thai translated to English which reads :

Wishing you another year of happiness.

Please God, no! My heart goes out to you around the world that has had your Christmas plans curtailed or even worse cancelled. I think I speak for us all we can't stand to be this happy again next year!

Of course, those of you who do digital cards are sitting reading this looking smug I know. You know what I might just join you in this next year!

I think I have only really doggedly hung onto the Christmas card tradition to keep some semblance of excitement for the occasion. Determined to keep calm and carry on for Christmas sake, it was interesting to see what traditions have been important to keep. I found my Christmas tree little wren, poinsettias and hmmm who ate all the Quality Street?

This Christmas was not what was planned we are supposed to be having an Aussie festive season. Our family is split across Europe, Asia and Australia and will remain that way but hey ho ho ho... We have a nice Christmas planned instead with friends here in Thailand. We are waiting to see whether our new Covid cases in the provinces, will have any impact. 

We have forced ourselves to get into the Christmas spirit and even found a Christmas tree and an unopened box marked Christmas at the back of our store cupboard. I have joined in a couple of Christmas events at the various women's groups that I have been involved with which have included fundraisers and raffles. I even won both the Lucky Door Prize and a Raffle Prize at the American Women's Club event. You know how I have always loved you American's right?!

At the British Women's Club event, I bought a Christmas Angel made by Sallie she came in a bag which said to Help the Needy. Here she is. Sallie with tears in her eyes as she told me of the old people’s home that she will donate the money too. Angie as I have named our angel has graced the top of our Christmas tree this year! 

Now don't giggle, Angie is doing well, and don't even mention that she was never knitted to have a prickly tree up her bottom!

It was such a lovely morning as we connected, and made new friends, with heartfelt stories of missing family and friends across the globe. There was even the odd tear shared as we realised how families are resigned to be apart this festive season. 

Just signing off to wish you all a wonderful keep calm and carry on festive season. Thank you once again for all your thoughtful and engaged wonderful comments throughout the year. They mean a lot and keep me writing here!

Should you be looking to catch up with further Thailand posts it will be wonderful to see you at my travel blog: Littlewanderingwren.com

Happy Christmas!

Linking with a massive thanks to Angie at Mosaic Monday 

and all the hosts at Our World Tuesday