- Preparing for a European holiday
- Chinese holiday
- How Songkran is celebrated
- The origin of Songkran
- What do they give for the holiday
- New Year's table
- Where can you relax for a holiday
Thais love to celebrate the New Year, as Thailand celebrates the celebration three times a year. The first date falls on December 31, the second - on the day when the full moon appears in the sky after the solstice. The traditional New Year or Songkran is celebrated in the spring, usually on April 13th.
Preparing for a European holiday
The people of Thailand welcomed the customs of the New Year, which came from other countries. So, a week before the celebration, most people decorate their homes, put flower arrangements in all rooms and sometimes decorate the Christmas tree. It is worth noting that the Thais themselves treat the European New Year as a purely family holiday, therefore they do not often participate in mass events.
Bangkok and Pattaya become the center of the festive atmosphere during this period. In these cities, you can see elegant spruce trees, various illumination and many garlands hanging on the windows of buildings. For foreign tourists who want to enter the country during this period, entertainment programs with the participation of Santa Claus and Snow Maiden, light shows and dance parties are organized.
Chinese holiday
For a long time of its existence, Thailand has borrowed from the Celestial Empire the tradition of celebrating the New Year according to the lunar calendar. The date changes annually, as it depends on the lunar cycles.
The Thai people associate Chinese New Year, first of all, with stormy fun. Costume festivals are held on the streets of large cities. At the same time, people dress in clothes with Chinese symbols, which include images of dragons, lions and mythical creatures. Separately, it should be noted that red lanterns are hung everywhere, promising prosperity and good luck next year.
For three days, people walk the streets, hug each other and congratulate each other on the onset of a new calendar cycle. At the end of the celebrations, sounds of firecrackers and fireworks of amazing beauty are heard.
How Songkran is celebrated
April 13 is considered one of the most important events in the life of the country in Thailand. Local residents associate this day with unity and honoring the memory of deceased relatives. Therefore, during Songkran, Thais prefer not to make noise and be in a good mood.
In the morning, everyone goes to the temple in order to present gifts to the gods. Such gifts can be fresh fruit, a variety of dishes and clean robes, which are then worn by the monks. The ritual plays a significant role in the life of Thais and is accompanied by chants.
Tourists who come to Thailand on April 13 are often surprised by the local New Year's custom. The New Year's greetings ceremony consists in the fact that Thais go out into the street and start pouring water over them, shouting wishes for happiness and health. Many people color their skin in multi-colored talcum powder for more fun.
The origin of Songkran
According to an ancient legend, many centuries ago there lived a boy who had an amazing ability to understand the language of animals and birds. The unusual young man decided to make a bet with the God of Fire, who offered to answer three difficult questions as the main condition. If one of the answers is wrong, then God promised to take the boy's head off.
On the same day, the boy heard the eagle telling her cub about this dispute. The bird knew the correct answers and passed them on to the young man, after which he defeated the God of fire in the dispute and cut off his head. In order to avoid drought and drying up of reservoirs, the boy hid the flaming head of the deity in a deep basket and placed it in a cave.
Since then, every year on April 13, the daughters of the deity carry their father's head in a sack and perform a ritual procession around the cave in order to pay tribute to the memory of the God of fire. For this reason, in Thailand, the first days of the New Year are always very hot and the temperature reaches +40 degrees.
What do they give for the holiday
Thais prefer to buy New Year's presents in advance. Thailand has a significant number of shops where you can buy almost everything.
It is not customary in the country to give expensive gifts. The best option is nice little things that can be useful in everyday life. Souvenirs, leather goods and pearls, cosmetic products, sweets, fruits, etc. are also quite popular.
An interesting fact is that any present must be accepted, regardless of whether you like it or not. Otherwise, you may be very offended.
New Year's table
During one of the three celebrations, the Thai people set a hearty table with a variety of dishes. The menu includes:
- Tom Yam Kung soup based on coconut milk and seafood;
- catfish salad with pepper and garlic;
- rice noodles fried with shrimp, tofu and herbs;
- kung keo wan sauce made from coconut milk with spices, curry and bamboo shoots;
- chicken panang gai cooked in curry sauce with lemongrass;
- gai pad pongali, which is a dish of chicken, rice, tomatoes and eggs;
- fresh fruits and vegetables.
Also on the tables you can see refreshing drinks from fruits, rum, beer, whiskey or wine.
Where can you relax for a holiday
Every year, several thousand tourists come to the kingdom who want to spend New Year's holidays in a country with a colorful culture. You can choose from many options for celebrating the New Year. Among them:
- beach holidays in any tourist area;
- visiting local attractions and sightseeing tours;
- meeting the New Year on a ship cruising on the Chaopraya River;
- participation in entertainment programs organized by all major hotels;
- elephant trekking and visiting a crocodile farm;
- the opportunity to learn diving or snorkeling;
- a course of massage and aromatherapy in the SPA-salon.
In any case, when preparing for such an exotic trip, do not forget to inquire beforehand about the availability of tickets and vouchers, since Thailand is especially popular among tourists during the New Year period. The cost of the trip may also increase, which should be borne in mind when traveling to this exotic country.
