Mince Pies

It's almost Christmas! Last year Christmas Day fell on midterms, and it was pretty uneventful. It's on midterms again this year, but this year is going to be different. I'm going to make Christmas really feel like Christmas! I'm not just visiting Bangkok; I live here. I plan on celebrating and doing it right!

Each luxury mega-mall has tried to outdo the others with its tree and decorations, Starbucks has released its Christmas Cookie Latte (highly recommended as a blended drink), and Christmas music can be heard everywhere. You might think that all this would make the holiday feel a bit empty; nobody really celebrates Christmas here like we do at home. It's amalgamated with New Year and its mostly for the benefit of the foreigners, but I think it's totally possible to find the real meaning of Christmas amidst all the commercialization.

My Christmas really began last night at Christchurch, the heart of Bangkok's English-speaking expatriate community. I joined the celebration for the annual carol service, a short Anglican liturgy consisting of readings and carols by candlelight, led by the Vicar, Father Tim.

The service drew quite a crowd for the little church, and no surprise; what followed was a cherished annual tradition. After the service we all went to the fellowship hall for mince pies and mulled wine.

mince pie

Between this and Remembrance Day, I have to say, that I really like the way the British do things. They seem to make and keep traditions better than those of us born on the "wrong side of the Atlantic" (as my boss Geoffrey likes to put it). I'm not sure I had ever had minced pies before, but I sure like them. The mulled wine was great too!

Geoffrey going in for a fourth or fifth pie

It's been a little cool lately, and in fact some mornings have actually been kind of cold! I dug my little Christmas tree out of my wardrobe and set it up on my desk last week. It's really feeling like Christmastime now.

my little tree