Bring in the Festive Mood! Christmas Décor Ideas and Where to Get Them in Thailand

Here’s a fact: Christmas is not a public holiday in Thailand. Kids go to school as usual, and adults don’t get days off from work. Still, the country celebrates it like the West does. Shopping malls, for instance, put up giant Christmas trees in their premises and decorate shop exteriors with all sorts of ornaments like garlands, Santa hats, poinsettias, and red candy canes. Locals see it as a way to spend time with friends and loved ones and join in the fun. Of course, the tourism and commercial aspect is also there. Businesses, particularly in the hospitality and food and beverage industries, see this as a chance to market their services and products as gifts to increase their sales.

While a majority of Thais are Buddhists, they’re open to other religious traditions like Christmas so as early as now, it’s okay to think of how you’ll decorate your home! Check out our suggestions below.

A Real Christmas Tree

Sounds impractical, but believe it or not, there are people willing to spend money on buying an actual Christmas tree. After all, they smell better and are biodegradable compared to their plastic counterparts. Mulching them after they’ve served their purpose can also benefit landscapes since they can protect soil from erosion and temperature changes, suppress weed growth, and conserve moisture. Think of it as doing your part for the planet. What’s more, you don’t have to worry about storage!

Where to get one: Thai Watsadu, one of the biggest home improvement centres in Thailand, sells real Christmas trees imported from Canada. The trees come with a base and is available in two sizes: large (210 to 240 centimetres) and extra-large (240 to 270 centimetres). The store has about 50 branches in Thailand, with 15 of them in Bangkok, so they’re not difficult to find.

A Small Snow Globe

Need something subtle and easy to pack when the season is done? A Christmas snow globe will do the trick. All you need is to decide where to display it and that’s it! When you’re bored, you can shake it to see the snowflakes floating around. Some globes come with mood lighting and music so you can get those types if you’re feeling extra.

Where to get one: IKEA Thailand is selling a snow globe designed by Eva Lundgreen for THB299. It’s only eight centimetres in height with a base made of plastic so you’re sure it will fit anywhere. You can also find a variety of snow globe designs on Shopee, Lazada, and other e-commerce sites.

Streamers and Garlands

It’s not a celebration without streamers. A simple “Merry Christmas” or “Happy Holidays” text banner, or the shape of bells and reindeers are enough to get the festive message across. Garlands, on the other hand, aren’t only for Christmas trees. They’re versatile and ideal to use as décor almost anywhere, whether at the rails of your staircase or the border of your doors and windows. You can even form shapes with it, like a Christmas tree or wreath, on your door or a blank wall.

Where to get one: Big C, a well-known department store in Thailand, sells all sorts of holiday supplies when November starts so better drop by to check out what they have in store. You can also buy ring garlands and streamers on their website. When you visit dollar stores like Daiso or street markets like Bangkok’s Chinatown (or Yaowarat as locals call it), you’re likely to find Christmas garlands and streamers for a cheaper price as well.

Santa Claus Hats

Santa Claus hats are the most basic Christmas decoration, but they do the job anyway. You can simply attach one on the wall or hang it somewhere when not in use. If you have a huge display or anything where you can put a hat on, make them wear it to instantly bring in the festive mood. For example, if you have kids who keep their stuffed toys lying around the house, you can put the Santa hats on them!

Where to get one: IKEA Thailand sells a red Santa Claus hat made of 100% cotton on their website for THB79. You can also find other colours and designs like reindeers on Thai Watsadu’s website. If you want to buy in bulk, e-commerce sites like Shopee and Lazada are the way to go for discounts.