Thai Christmas ideas for family & loved ones
Although Christmas isn’t widely celebrated here, Thais still engage in the gifting and sharing spirit that blankets the holidays at the end of the year. But with so many shopping deals and great food, it can be a struggle to find the right way to thank our loved ones and friends, and return the favours we’ve received from them throughout the year.
So here are some ideas that are perfect Thai ways of celebrating the end-of-year season that beat last-minute gifts that look like afterthoughts at the airport.
Table of Contents
- Thai Christmas ideas for family & loved ones
- 1. Take an EOY wefie with the fam at malls’ SMILEY® displays and performances
- 2. Splurge on food with a sentimental Thai spicy feast
- 3. Ensure an auspicious new year by making merit at 9 temples
- 4. Relive childhood fun with the SMILEY Playground’s ball pit
- 5. Exchange gifts to cap off the year while checking out Siam Discovery’s SMILEY collection
- 6. Enjoy the holiday fireworks along the Chao Phraya
- 7. Catch a free international performance on weekends at Siam Paragon
- 8. Maximise your spending spree with discounts
- Thai Christmas ideas: celebrate Christmas and New Year with a Siamese twist
- Learn more about Siam Paragon | Siam Center | Siam Discovery Register for your tourist rewards card here
1. Take an EOY wefie with the fam at malls’ SMILEY® displays and performances
No vacation is complete without some commemorative selfies. And with the Smiley Company celebrating the 50th anniversary of SMILEY® in Asia, their unique art installations will be a perfect spot for some wefies.
There will be SIAM SMILEY® CELEBRATION; Infinite Happiness installations at all the Siam malls, so be sure to check them all out.
To see the mascots come alive, look out for SMILEY® Parade performances in Siam Paragon every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday at 5.30pm and 7pm this December 2022.
2. Splurge on food with a sentimental Thai spicy feast
One of the fastest ways to win Thais’ kudos is through their stomachs. Thais practically dedicate 80% of their day to thinking about food. The other 20% is spent making or finding it.
Food is a very social and communal thing for Thai people – so much so that asking someone if they’ve eaten is how we say hello.
Nara Thai Cuisine at Siam Paragon.
Like many others around the world, one of the ways Thais celebrate the end of the year is through hosting a dinner party with close friends and family. With an occasion as special as this, we’ll spend a little bit more money and time so that the food can convey our feelings of appreciation to the people we share it with. That, or we just want an excuse to spoil ourselves with food that is way out of our usual price range.
Sansab’s Isan food menu at Siam Paragon.
If you’re looking to add a little Thai spice to make your Christmas and New Year’s dinners more exciting, then you can’t do wrong with a bit of Isan cuisine. Som Tam, grilled meats, and sticky rice are staple party foods – you really can’t have a good party without some food that hurts you good like that.
Image credit: Sansab/Siam Paragon
Or if you’re looking to make the meal a bit more fun and add a little competition, you can turn the dinner into an eating contest with some Thai boat noodles. As they are traditionally served in smaller bowls, Thais will often pile it on and see who can eat the most.
Sansab at Siam Paragon.
To get a more premium experience in line with the holidays, we recommend visiting Sansab (แสนแซ่บ) for spicy Isan food and Nara Thai Cuisine for boat noodles and other authentic Thai dishes.
Image credit: Nara Thai Cuisine/Siam Paragon
Nara Thai Cuisine will even offer international customers a free serving of mango and sticky rice, a classic Thai dessert, when your meal is ฿2,000 (~US$60).or more.
Speaking of dessert, be sure to finish off your meal at either Yenly Yours or Pennii.
Pennii, located on the G Floor of Siam Paragon, sells popcorn with unique Thai flavours such as Tom Yum Goong or Monthong Durian.
Packed in sealed bags, it’s the perfect snacking souvenir and you’ll even get 2 small popcorn bags when buying 5 large ones.
Finally, there is Yenly Yours, located on the 2nd floor of Siam Center, for mango lovers.
Image credit: Yenly Yours/Siam Center
Sweet delicious mango after a savoury meal – not much more needs to be said. If you’re holding a Tourist Card, you’ll even get a 5% discount on your orders.
Nara Thai Cuisine
Address: The Gourmet Garden, G Floor, Siam Paragon, 991 Rama I Rd, Khwaeng Pathum Wan, Khet Pathum Wan, Bangkok 10330
Opening hours: 10am-10pm, Daily
Contact: +66 2129 4863-3 | Nara Thai Cuisine’s website | Facebook | Instagram
Sansab (แสนแซ่บ)
Address: Food Passage, 4th Floor, Siam Paragon, 991 Rama I Rd, Khwaeng Pathum Wan, Khet Pathum Wan, Bangkok 10330
Opening hours: 10am-10pm, Daily
Contact: +66 95 365 6951 | Sansab’s website | Facebook | Instagram
Pennii Premium Popcorn
Address: The Gourmet Garden, G Floor, Siam Paragon, 991 Rama I Rd, Khwaeng Pathum Wan, Khet Pathum Wan, Bangkok 10330
Opening hours: 10am-10pm, Daily
Contact: +66 88 787 9154 | Pennii Premium Popcorn’s website | Facebook | Instagram
Yenly Yours
Address: 2nd Floor, Siam Center, 979 Rama I Rd, Pathum Wan, Bangkok 10330
Opening hours: 10am-10pm, Daily
Contact: +66 88 787 9154 | Yenly Yours’ website | Facebook | Instagram
3. Ensure an auspicious new year by making merit at 9 temples
Image credit: วัดปทุมวนาราม ราชวรวิหาร
Although we don’t have a state religion, Buddhism is the biggest religion in Thailand. Having good karma and luck is a huge deal for many Thais, and they’ll see the end of the year as an important time to ensure that the new year brings good fortune.
So, around this time of the year, you’ll see Thai temples being packed with people giving alms to monks and praying.
Many will pray for both their loved ones’ and their own fortunes. If you’re looking to join in and boost your luck for the coming year, here’s a list of famous temples in Bangkok that you won’t want to miss if it’s your first time in the city.
Wat Pathum Wanaram.
Image credit: วัดปทุมวนารามS ราชวรวิหาร
But if you want a hidden gem right in the middle of the commercial district, look no further than Wat Pathum Wanaram (วัดปทุมวนารามราชวรวิหาร) which is right next to Siam Paragon. Despite being smack in the middle of all the glitz and glamour, the temple is very low-key and is a local favourite for practising dhamma.
Bonus points if you head to nine temples. Nine is a lucky number in Thai culture because it’s a homophone for the word “step”, which Thais take to mean “progress”.
Wat Pathum Wanaram (วัดปทุมวนารามราชวรวิหาร)
Address: 969 Rama I Rd, Khwaeng Pathum Wan, Pathum Wan, Bangkok 10330
Opening hours: 6am-9pm, Daily
Contact: Wat Pathum Wanaram’s Facebook
4. Relive childhood fun with the SMILEY Playground’s ball pit
If you have a kid, or are one at heart, drop by Siam Center’s giant ball pit at the G Floor. Here, you’ll get to unleash your inner child and have fun with giant balls in the way that you wish your parents let you when you were younger.
For bonus points, the balls all have smiley faces, so you can pretend you’re in emoji land.
5. Exchange gifts to cap off the year while checking out Siam Discovery’s SMILEY collection
Whether you’re looking for something local to bring home to your family and friends or to get a gift for a Thai friend, there are plenty of practical gifting choices at Siam Discovery that are sure to fit any lifestyle.
If you’re looking for world-renowned Thai crafts, you can’t go wrong with ICONCRAFT, which features products made by modern Thai artisans. They have crafts with beautiful Thai patterns and colours that will be great additions to you and your loved ones’ everyday lives.
We recommend looking at Thai fragrances or pillow cases as more practical yet subtle choices. To sweeten the deal, Tourist Card holders will enjoy 10% off your purchases here.
Those who are into eco-friendly products can try ECOTOPIA. They provide guilt-free gift options that will also bring bonus karma points to you and your loved ones. We recommend their body care products, which will have you smelling as fresh as Thai fruits.
Take advantage of the ฿100 (~US$2.85) discount on purchases of at least ฿800 (~US$22.83) here too.
Both shops are located on the 3rd floor of Siam Discovery.
ICONCRAFT
Address: 3rd Floor, Siam Discovery, 194 Phaya Thai Rd, Pathum Wan, Bangkok 10330
Opening hours: 10am-10pm, Daily
Contact: ICONCRAFT’s Facebook | Instagram
ECOTOPIA
Address: 3rd Floor, Siam Discovery, 194 Phaya Thai Rd, Pathum Wan, Bangkok 10330
Opening hours: 10am-10pm, Daily
Contact: ECOTOPIA’s Facebook | Instagram
6. Enjoy the holiday fireworks along the Chao Phraya
Image credit: Matthew Guay
Of course, no end-of-year celebration is complete without countdowns and fireworks. As Bangkok is a riverside city, the streets will be packed with people trying to catch a glimpse of both the end-of-year fireworks lighting up the sky and their reflections on the water’s surface.
One of the best spots to watch riverside fireworks is ICONSIAM. You’ll get an awesome view of both the Bangkok skyline and the river while enjoying dinner there.
7. Catch a free international performance on weekends at Siam Paragon
After you get tired from all the eating and shopping on the weekends, take a break and enjoy a professional performance straight from Europe.
Starting at 5pm and 6pm each Friday, Saturday, and Sunday in December, these 40-minute shows will feature different performances every session – perfect for a quick break before round 2 of eating and shopping.
Then on 16th-18th December 2022, we’ll get French performers putting on a street theatre show in floating bubbles, titled SPHERES.
Finally, we’ll get a second performance by Teatro Pavana from 23rd-25th December 2022.
This one is called Night Colors and will feature the stilt walkers in silver clothing decked with lights.
8. Maximise your spending spree with discounts
If you’re spending Christmas and New Year’s exploring Bangkok, there will be times when you just need to get away from the heat. Here’s the tried-and-tested way that Thais use – to go to the air-conditioned malls.
We recommend seeking shelter from the weather at Siam Center, Siam Discovery, and Siam Paragon. Tourists in Thailand can sign up for OneSiam’s Tourist Card, which will net you up to a 30% discount on participating shops and restaurants in those malls.
You’ll also get a ฿1,000 Siam Gift Card when you spend ฿20,000 at Siam Center, Siam Discovery, or Siam Paragon.
Additionally, you’ll receive a ฿300 Siam Gift Card when you spend ฿5,000 at participating brands in Siam Discovery. These brands include Armani Exchange, Club 21, Comme des Garçons, Diesel, Hoops Station, Lacoste, Issey Miyake, The North Face, or 3.1 Philip Lim.
But that’s not all. If you have a craving for Muay Thai, the Tourist Card will net you a 20% discount at the famous Rajadamnern Stadium.
Mastercard, Visa, JB Credit Card, Alipay, and Wechat privileges are also available.
Thai Christmas ideas: celebrate Christmas and New Year with a Siamese twist
Christmas and New Year can get a bit repetitive with the same old food and gifts. So try a fresh way of putting a smile on the faces of your loved ones by doing a couple of things Thai people do to show appreciation for their family and friends, and spice your holiday up with a Siamese twist this year to end your year with a huge smiley on your face.
And if all these Thai Christmas ideas aren’t enough for you, there’s still a ฿100 (~US$2.85) shuttle bus to take you from Siam Paragon to the Siam Premium Outlets – with over 300 stores from Burberry to Kate Spade to Nike all in one place – for even more shopping.
Siam Paragon
Opening hours: 10AM – 10PM, Daily
Address: 991 Rama I Rd, Pathum Wan, Pathum Wan District, Bangkok 10330
Contact: +66 2690 1000 | Siam Paragon’s website | Google Maps
Siam Discovery
Opening hours: 10AM – 10PM, Daily
Address: 194 Phayathai Rd, Pathum Wan, Pathum Wan District, Bangkok 10330
Contact: +66 2658 1000 | Siam Discovery’s website | Google Maps
Siam Center
Opening hours: 10AM – 10PM, Daily
Address: 979 Rama I Rd, Pathum Wan, Pathum Wan District, Bangkok 10330
Contact: +66 2 658 1000 | Siam Center’s website | Google Maps
Learn more about Siam Paragon | Siam Center | Siam Discovery
Register for your tourist rewards card here
Other things to do nearby:
Cover image adapted from: Krith Srimudkul
Watermarked photos by Krith Srimudkul.