Markets, Christmas, Nativity and Dejeuner Sur L’Herbe

'Twas the day before Christmas and all through Chiang Mai, everyone was shopping. Not specifically because it's Christmas Eve, but because weekend markets and shopping streets are ubiquitous in Chiang Mai. That said, while many were out getting their daily supply of spices, vegetables, freshly butchered meat, affordable clothing and tasty quick-eats from traditional and outdoor markets – some were in the malls getting a taste of American-manufactured Christmas skimmed clean of Christianity and full of trees, gingerbread men, reindeer and baked goods. 

Thai cuisine is one without much baking – but given that the Western world has Christmas baking, the center section of the bottom floor of Central Airport Plaza Mall was filled with an expo of stands selling "Christmas Baking" – which consisted happily used flavors of Thai iced tea, coconut, pandan, durian, black sesame, mango, banana and more tropical favorites. 

"Many of our students go to Christian schools and colleges. They get very excited about Christmas and want to experience it" the nice lady who was my Uber driver to the mall today explained. She herself went to a Catholic private high school and college – as is common in the upper middle and wealthy classes of Thailand. It's not that the students are typically Catholic or Christian in general, it's just that somehow, Catholic missionaries managed to found and operate some of the best school.

But had I not needed to go to a Western-style supermarket to pick up some pull-ups and jam today, we would never have known it was Christmas Eve.

We spent the morning at a popular day market – drinking juices and Thai iced teas, bargaining for pants, picking up gifts for loved ones at home and tasting new snacks. We watched a lady using a large machine to make fresh coconut milk and staring in wonder at a man who makes dinosaur-shaped pancake-like-things on a stick, using batter in a pan with a lot of oil. We watched the butcher stands chopping up pig and chicken parts and smelled fish fresh and dried – discussing why people eat dry fish and why that section of the market stinks. All of this while Thai people admired our kids – and especially Ailyn's curls.

"Your daughter is SO cute" was a phrase I was told in Thai many times today. We had older women running up to talk to and touch Ailyn – which sort of freaked her out a few times.

After we were fully marketed-out, we went to the Nong Buak park in old Chaing Mai which is not only gorgeous, but has a fantastic playground. There, our kids played with Thai, Japanese, Chinese, Australian, and a variety of European children – climbing monkey bars, jungle gyms and slides in the United Nations of childhood.

Given the great food stands in front of the park entrance, Emily had the brilliant idea to rent a rattan mat for 15 Baht (50 cents) and have a picnic in the park for lunch. So we feasted on som tam, gai yang (Northeastern barbecue chicken), and sticky rice – which with bottles of cold water included cost us all of $11 for five people. We capped it off with coconut ice cream for dessert for an additional $4 for all of us. And the kids couldn't have been happier. 

Tonight the kids will hang out with Arielle while Emily and I go out on the town – likely to the Sunday weekend street market. Because Chiang Mai is the land of unlimited markets. However, this far more touristy market is less likely to be butchering hog pieces and more likely to be pushing cute wood carvings and bohemian cotton pants. 

So, not local market with stinky fish smells – but not people taking pictures next to a giant fake Christmas tree. Something in between our morning and my afternoon.

We also got the good news this morning that my cousin Jacob and his wonderful wife Diana gave birth to their baby Haim Ethan yesterday. We welcome him into the world and our family and send love all the way from Chiang Mai.