How to say “merry Christmas” in Thai

How to say it

สุขสันต์sùk-sǎn is the festive "happy" that also starts birthday and New Year wishes, วันwan is day, and คริสต์มาสkrít-sà-mâat is the English word in Thai clothes. Thais usually slip a short "sà" into the middle, krít-sà-mâat, though you'll also hear krít-mâat; the letters with the silent mark aren't pronounced. Tones: sùk low, sǎn rising, wan mid, then krít high, sà low, mâat falling.

Christmas in a Buddhist country

The great majority of Thais are Buddhist, so Christmas isn't a religious holiday for most people, and 25 December is a normal working day. It is, however, a big festive season. From November, Bangkok's malls put up giant trees and light shows, hotels advertise Christmas dinners, cafés sell themed drinks, and couples treat Christmas Eve as a date night. Thailand's Christian communities, including many in the north, celebrate in church, and international schools hold concerts and parties. For visitors, the easiest Christmas is a hotel buffet or a stroll past the mall light displays; for expats, it's often a potluck with friends, since family is far away.

So a cheerful เมอร์รี่คริสต์มาสmoe-rîi krít-sà-mâat to a Thai friend is welcome, even if they don't celebrate it. It's friendly, not religious, in the same way many Westerners enjoy Songkran.

Straight into the New Year

For Thais, Christmas is the opening act. The real holiday is New Year, when offices close, families travel home and everyone says สวัสดีปีใหม่sà-wàt-dii bpii mài. That's why cards so often say สุขสันต์วันคริสต์มาสและสวัสดีปีใหม่sùk-sǎn wan krít-sà-mâat láe sà-wàt-dii bpii mài, "Merry Christmas and Happy New Year". Workplaces and schools often hold a New Year party instead of a Christmas party, with a lucky-draw gift swap called จับฉลากjàp chà-làak: everyone brings a present and draws a number to see which one they take home.

Christmas words

• ต้นคริสต์มาสdtôn-krít-sà-mâat: Christmas tree (ต้นdtôn is the word for a plant or tree)
• ซานตาคลอสsaan-dtaa-kláwt: Santa Claus
• ของขวัญkǎwng-kwǎn: a present
• หิมะhì-má: snow, which you'll only see in malls, made of foam