John Saboe's Far East Travels

People often ask me what it's celebrating Christmas is like in Asia. Depending on which part of Asia you are located in it can feel as exuburent as anywhere in the West or other than commercial displays that offer fancing lighting and gigantic trees quite alientating. Christmas if it, along with Christianity had a chance to be established by a Western nation like Great Britain during colonization, then you'll find a pretty spirited atmosphere of Christmas. If however you are located in a region or nation that was not colonized by a Western country at one time, there are exceptions, than you will feel nothing more than a recognition of the holiday similar to Halloween. Fun, but a lack of striving to be kinder, or more giving or compassionate with no religuous association to the season. As I said in this episode of the podcast, it's a matter of adjusting your expectations of the season and finding that spirit in the local cultural festivals that offer a similiar kind of atmosphere we Westerners associate with C