Pre-Christmas Sights

December, 2011

In this Buddhist culture, Christmas is not celebrated in a noticeable way. Christians are only 1% or 2% of the population so their religious beliefs have little influence on the culture. The commercial impact of Christmas is much more apparent although not on a scale as would be found in Western and more developed countries.
12Inflatables seemed to be the preferred Christmas decoration this year. Basically they appeared only in the areas frequented by Westerners and tourists.
Red Santa Claus suits are popular for children and are widely available in various markets. The two little boys on the right wore theirs to church on Christmas morning.
Some stores go with some simple decorations on their doors or windows, some might even had a Christmas sale. Most Cambodians wouldn't know what the images in the decorations are, e.g., a sleigh or holly.
And of course, the red stocking caps are always appropriate, whether for parking attendants, mannequins, or sidewalk sales staff.

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