A Thailand Christmas tradition: Santa Elephants in Covid-19 masks

“Hey Thaiger – is it possible to encompass just how different Christmas is in Thailand and in the Covid-19 era in just one lead sentence?” Why, yes it is: In Ayutthaya today, a school celebrated Christmas with elephants adorned in festive Santa hats as well as giant surgical masks, passing out gifts of face masks, hand gel, and balloons.

The elephant visit is a tradition going back 15 years at the Jirasartwitthaya School in Ayutthaya, though this year the tradition was modified a bit. With so much of normal life kneecapped this year, the holiday tradition addressed the, erm, elephant in the room by incorporating Covid-19 safety into the Christmas fun.

The children were ecstatic to see the Christmas elephants, something students look forward to every year, but with lockdowns and online learning, the celebration has been that much more meaningful. The organisers of the Santa…