Christmas decoration at one of the shops on Sisowath Quay. (Photo by: Anita Surewicz)Friday, 19 December 2008
Written by Mom Kunthear and Anne-Laure Poree
The Phnom Penh Post
While they do not always know what the holiday is about, many young Cambodians view Christmas as the perfect opportunity to get together with friends and exchange small gifts
Most Cambodians are not Christians, and they don't always know what Christmas is all about, other than that it's a religious celebration. But this doesn't mean they don't celebrate this "Western" tradition.
Chan Rattana, 16, is a very well-organized young girl who has perfected the art of celebrating Christmas. She has already bought postcards for her friends and has organised to meet her classmates from Sisowath High School to "eat something together on the 25th, then exchange gifts and go to a concert at the ELT English School".
"Christmas Day is an interesting ceremony, strange to our Khmer culture, but it is great to give presents to friends. It is a really friendly day."
However, Chan Rattana's classmate, Chan Vortey, 16, has learned not to get overly excited about Christmas, as she doesn't want to offend her elderly grandmother who is very attached to Cambodian culture.
For Chan Vortey, Christmas Day is dedicated to friends, whereas Khmer ceremonies are dedicated to the family. She will not buy any gifts but will send text messages to her friends living in the province and buy postcards. She also wants to give a traditional Apsara picture to her foreign neighbours as a Christmas gift.
Chan Vortey might be one of the growing number of customers of Oum Vantha, 35, a books and anniversaries gift seller near Sisowath High School. While she said last year she sold 1,000 postcards on Christmas, Oum Vantha says she doesn't personally celebrate the holiday.
Saiy Samphorse, 21, a shoe seller at Sorya Centre, said she has been so busy that she doesn't have time to even entertain the possibility of celebrating Christmas. She said that she will try to buy gifts for her close friends if she has the time.
"I was surprised when I arrived to see so many Christmas trees here. Americans and Cambodians celebrate Christmas the same way. People exchange gifts and have parties."
Sema Nou, 19, has been celebrating Christmas since she learned about it at her English school. Now, an assistant manager for the toy department at Monument Books, Nou's gift budget for this year is US$20. "Christmas only comes once a year, and I am happy to enjoy it with the people I like," she said.
Nou's challenge this year is to make some gifts herself.
"I don't care about the value of the gift. I don't care if it is big or small. The main thing is that it has been given with so much kindness," she said. "The gifts we receive or give are unforgettable gifts."
Most Cambodians are not Christians, and they don't always know what Christmas is all about, other than that it's a religious celebration. But this doesn't mean they don't celebrate this "Western" tradition.
Chan Rattana, 16, is a very well-organized young girl who has perfected the art of celebrating Christmas. She has already bought postcards for her friends and has organised to meet her classmates from Sisowath High School to "eat something together on the 25th, then exchange gifts and go to a concert at the ELT English School".
"Christmas Day is an interesting ceremony, strange to our Khmer culture, but it is great to give presents to friends. It is a really friendly day."
However, Chan Rattana's classmate, Chan Vortey, 16, has learned not to get overly excited about Christmas, as she doesn't want to offend her elderly grandmother who is very attached to Cambodian culture.
For Chan Vortey, Christmas Day is dedicated to friends, whereas Khmer ceremonies are dedicated to the family. She will not buy any gifts but will send text messages to her friends living in the province and buy postcards. She also wants to give a traditional Apsara picture to her foreign neighbours as a Christmas gift.
Chan Vortey might be one of the growing number of customers of Oum Vantha, 35, a books and anniversaries gift seller near Sisowath High School. While she said last year she sold 1,000 postcards on Christmas, Oum Vantha says she doesn't personally celebrate the holiday.
Saiy Samphorse, 21, a shoe seller at Sorya Centre, said she has been so busy that she doesn't have time to even entertain the possibility of celebrating Christmas. She said that she will try to buy gifts for her close friends if she has the time.
"Christmas day is an interesting ceremony, strange to our khmer culture... "A Khmer-American, Srey Roth, 23, is ready to spend between US$10 and US$20 for each gift she is planning to give to her close friends and relatives for her first Christmas in Cambodia.
"I was surprised when I arrived to see so many Christmas trees here. Americans and Cambodians celebrate Christmas the same way. People exchange gifts and have parties."
Sema Nou, 19, has been celebrating Christmas since she learned about it at her English school. Now, an assistant manager for the toy department at Monument Books, Nou's gift budget for this year is US$20. "Christmas only comes once a year, and I am happy to enjoy it with the people I like," she said.
Nou's challenge this year is to make some gifts herself.
"I don't care about the value of the gift. I don't care if it is big or small. The main thing is that it has been given with so much kindness," she said. "The gifts we receive or give are unforgettable gifts."
12 comments:
Why would they want to celebrate Christmas in srok khmer?
they are bored! fool. And better than celebrat January 17th. shit!
christmas is a fun time for family and friends alike because people exchange gift. although it is a christian thing, cambodian people don't have to be christian to celebrate this holiday. i think without this gift giving thing, this holiday wouldn't be as popular in cambodia as it is today. i guess, celebration knows no boundary as they say it!
Who are you trying to kid, 2:05? Every time someone exchanged gifts here, you idiot people accuses us of bribery and corruption. So drop the act, will ya?
Ah Scam Rainxy must be stopped from bringing shits from oversea into Cambodia. Please help save what ever left of Khmer culture!
This is very interesting topic, KI thank you.
I agreed with you 100% 1:01am and 1:11am. We khmers can exchange gifts on Cambodian new year or Oum Touk (water festival).
Please don't blame the West for the influence. However, the Khmer themselves "BRAIN WASHED" into another religion.
If you are Christian, please accept my appology. If you are Khmer Buddhist or Muslim, then you are completely stupid. I don't think Khmer Muslim would do any thing like this. They know better.
Anyway, this is only my opinion. If this trend keep continue, somedays Khmer identity will be lost forever.
Love you all Khmers,
Please respect yourself, and some dignity.
Khmer in New York
4:17 AM:
Some of us Khmers aren't like you. We don't go into brothels in search of 10 year old girls like how you do and think of that as exchanging gifts.
Hey, you do it to ours; we do it your yours. What fair is fair, alright?
why is every one arguing who cares ...................ITS CHRISTMAS................SO EVERY ONE MERRY CHRISTMAS =)
We got some fakers in here that are not Khmer but they are in here like the dude that always say "Scam Rainxsy". I think that dude is either Siem or Yuon. I see that dude all the time blogging and using the same lines. Execution time!!
Why some of the Khmer people must submitted Mind, Body and sole to other Religion that is not fit to Khmer spirit, why Adult person must belong to someone else?; where are their Brains?. These people have completly hallow scult. Think about this, a Khmer Nation and the Khmer Impire had been created withought this New Riligion, nerver included, this religion won't make Khmer prosperus furthermore it's creatting a disarray into our society it bring more trouble instead of bring peace. This is it Idiology:( Make bad or kill first then apologize later, their man will takes all the sins away then there is no sin left to the Crime commited act). The more you involve the more your boys will suffer or perhaps your wives get pregnans by those Criminal mind PRIECES, that mean you expose your love one at risk because you're volnerable to the human predators. Think twice dear belove Khmer people befor you step in excrement you should think who you are, that doen't mater how your condition are the quality of the Khmer Nation and the quality of your dignity is not for for sale nor to be sole either.
May Buddha bless Khmer all
No matter how many holiday in the Kingdom of Cambodia,I believe it's good for the market.All deference holiday just the way the people to express their feeling to each other or family member.
Merry Christmas!!!
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