Up in the air between Manila and Thailand!
Because my hubby and I work in media and our daughter Diandra is an actress, rare are the moments when we can find enough free time to go on vacation as a family. So this is quite a gem – to be able to spend four days with my loved ones (minus my son Wolf who is in Honolulu) in Bangkok!
En route to Bangkok, we were wondering aloud on the plane if people celebrated Christmas in Thailand; maybe not, I said, since they are primarily Buddhist. I figured that only the Christians would have trees and decor in their homes. But surprise, surprise! We saw some Christmas greetings on a wall at the airport and some restuarants had Christmas trees on display – I spotted about three on our drive to Bangkok City Hotel.
Yep. We saw Frosty in Thailand!
At the lobby of Bangkok City Hotel, they even had a little Christmas Snow Town display sitting right on top of the Front Desk area! And the Starbucks at MBK Mall was offering Christmas coffees – the same ones we get in Manila. But they didn’t have the sticker promo for journals that I always join every season. My favorite journal shade this year is the darkest one – Oak.
Look closely at the sign behind me and Diandra... it's the Christmas Coffee Menu Board of Starbucks!
Then as we were walking past Platinum Fashion Mall, I heard some Christmas songs being played from a speaker outside the mall – one of them was all about CHRISTMAS SHOPPING! The song (sung by a children’s choir) said something like: “It’s fun to go CHRISTMAS SHOPPING!” Although I was laughing at the lyrics, I did find it a bit tasteless; didn’t the Pope just admonish us for being so commercial at Christmas time?
A huge Christmas tree on Phetchaburi Road, Bangkok!
Of course, I don’t mind businesses putting up all that decor – it really cheers things up. And they can try all they want to get me to spend but I have final control on where my peso goes and they can’t hoodwink me into buying things I think I need. Besides, I don’t let the pressure of Christmas shopping get to me – in fact, I totally love Christmas shopping because of two simple rules – give gifts from the heart and stick to the budget.
Kung walang budget, okay lang. One year, when we were tight, I dug up a bunch of great books in my library, put them in a brightly wrapped box and went around asking friends to choose a book and that was their gift. They all loved it! Some of them even asked me to write a Christmas dedication on the book. So as you can see, there’s no need to stress out over shopping for Christmas because God provides. If you are willing to receive from Him, that is.
So… Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you all, from ABQ in Bangkok!
Jesus, you are my Christmas gift to others...
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
I love Bangkok…hope you visited our Every Nation Grace Bangkok Church in Pathumwan Princess Hotel MBK!
Will be coming back in Bangkok for another mission trip in 2012!
Wow, we were there at the Princess Hotel – asking for directions, aahaha! Victory pala is there. Well, we’ll be going home on Saturday and then on SUnday I’ll be worshipping at… VICTORY Robinson’s Metro East, so I’ll see you there! 4pm diba?
[...] 11) A FAMILY TRIP TO BANGKOK! – This will sound weird but my family doesn’t get to travel often together. First – it’s expensive and second – it’s hard for me and my hubby to get away from work. But last December, my hubby, daughter and I got to spend 5 crazy days in Bangkok between Christmas and New Year’s. It would have been perfect if my son could have joined us but he was in Honolulu taking care of his Lola. Praying that in 2012, he’ll be able to come home to Manila for a visit! Ron, Diandra and Me with a big Tiger Cub at Sriracha Tiger Zoo, Sriracha, Thailand [...]