Thailand embraces the spirit of Christmas

An entertaining video at GlobalPost.com reveals Thailand’s growing enthusiasm for Christmas – despite a fairly shaky grasp on what it celebrates.

Instead of shipping its festive trinkets to the United States, Bangkok’s Christmas Decoration Exporters Ltd is now turning out Christmas trees, mistletoe and reindeer for malls in Thailand.

‘We’re exporting less and less. The malls here in Thailand want our business too,’ co-owner Vilaiwan Watsiriseree tells Patrick Winn.

Santa Claus is the focus for Thailand‘s Christmas, although his identity is hazy. A child tells Winn that Santa is Jesus’s dad.

A 16-year-old out Christmas shopping with his classmates admits some confusion over the festival.

‘But the meaning of Christmas, I think, is to share love, be with your family and then go party,’ he says.