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Thursday, December 25, 2008

HOW TO SAY "Merry Christmas" IN SOUTHEAST ASIA

Asia's 2 Christian-dominated nations is in our region (the Philippines and Timor Leste) are celebrating the Christmas today! Whether we admit it or not, the Christian holiday that falls on the 25th of December has evolved into something more "universal".

Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei cites it. We in Thailand never fails to surprise visitors that we, indeed, celebrate Christmas in our own way. So as the largely Buddhist Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam.

So, here it is...today is Christmas. The holiday that shed its 'religious' tone and considered as a day of peace and gift-giving around the world.


We say สุขสันต์วันคริสตร์มาส in Thailand. It's "Souksarn wan Christmas". It's "Krit-sa-mat" or loosely pronounced like that, ok? This is the most awaited event of the kids in International schools around the country! They also say "Souksan wan Christmas" in Laos.

The Filipinos say "Maligayang Pasko" for the Tagalogs. "Naragsak a Pascua" for the Ilocanos in the north. "Masayang Pasku keko ngan" in my second home Pampanga. "Masinadyahon nga Paskua" in Central Philippines. "Maugmang Capascuhan" in Bicol and many many other languages in this country.

The Timorese would say "Feliz natal" in Portuguese. How do you say it in Tetun?

And for our Chinese bros in Singapore and across the region: 圣诞快乐 "Sheng Dankuai Le" in Mandarin and "Sing Daan Faai Lok" in Cantonese.

It's "Christmas nay hma mue pyaw pa" in Burma. "Mừng Chúa Giáng Sinh" in Vietnam and "Soursdey Noel" in Cambodia.

"Selamat Hari Natal" is how they say it in Malaysia (Malay) and Brunei, and also acceptable in Indonesia but better "Selamat Natal" to be more accurate. "Nathar Puthu Varuda Valthukkal" from our Tamil brothers.


สุขสันต์วันคริสตร์มาส et Joyeux Noel everybody!

****

20 Comments:

Matthew Andrew said...

Maligayang Pasko!

Jerick said...

maligayang pasko luk kreungs! You guys must be in your european homes by now. Pisanu in brussels, sofia in copenhagen, morgan in paris.

Sanne Dee said...

Hello Biseaners! How have you guys been? :) Happy holidays to you all and Merry Christmas. Party oooooon!

Anonymous said...

I think my belly's grown an inch because of all the food. haha! Happy Christmas everybody!

pusangkalye said...

maligayang Pasko to all ---from the Philippines!!!

Erique Fat Owl said...

Mele Kalikimaka, everyone! Feliz Navidad! Fa la la la la la la la la! Don't drink too much! Save some for the NYE party!

TAO said...

Merry Christmas to everyone! Glad to see that there is still life at Bisean!

Anonymous said...
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Anonymous said...

Ooooo Pisanu. If that pic is you than you are quite a catch. Woof woof.

Pisanu for BISEAN said...

WHAT IN D'WORLD?????

This is getting crazier everyday.

First, somebody made a Friendster account claiming it's me....then Hi5, then Facebook, then another MySpace, then what-have-you...

...now this Face-pic? Very funny.

Anonymous said...

pisanu, is that u? hehe...

just curious? u lived in pampanga? how long and where? that's my home province.

Anonymous said...

my friend is from Tarlac but she speaks kapampangan. Yet all she teaches me is "mekeni! mekeni!"

haha!

Anonymous said...

though the philippines and timor leste are christian country, vietnam is the second most populous christian country in asean region

@allen yu:
tarlac, its southern portion was part of the pampanga as well some of the central luzon. central luzon was just divided into smaller provinces

Anonymous said...

masayang pasku keka Pisanu! maski nokarin ka, sana masaya ka lagi!

Anonymous said...

Guys,thanks for all the greetings and comments...

For those who didn't know...my ex-wife is from Angeles City. And I lived there for almost a year. I miss the food.

Anonymous said...

Merry X'mas and happy new year to you!!

pusangkalye said...

TOUGH TIMES never lasts, but TOUGH PEOPLE do.........happy new year everyone!!!!

Jffklein said...

maliGEISHAng bagong taon mare!

TAO said...

Happy New Years....

I do pray that you were not celebrating at the Santika Disco....

surfer said...

it's reak reah bon noel in khmer!

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