It’s almost the New Year, a time we’ve all been waiting for! Most likely this year you’ll be spending it staying in with close friends and family. If you’re looking for some delicious food to enjoy, consider Amarin of Thailand in Wellesley for your New Year’s meal! Whether you’re craving some tasty Thai food or looking to start a new tradition, we have the perfect menu for you!
If you’re wondering how people in Thailand usually celebrate the holiday, it’s a little different than how we do it here in the U.S. Here’s a look into our culture and how Thais celebrate the New Year!
Songkran Festival
One of the most important events in Thailand is the Songkran Festival, Thailand’s New Year’s celebration. The festival gets its name from the fact that “Songkran” means to pass or move into. The Songkran Festival is a time where friends and family spend time together and show appreciation to their elders. During this time they also often spend time visiting temples for prayer and offerings.
The Celebration Goes for Days
In the U.S. our New Year’s celebrations usually only last a day, but that’s not the case with the Songkran Festival. This festival will last anywhere between 3 and 10 days! Along with spending time with family and friends showing appreciation for their elders, people will also spend a lot of time enjoying the activities and entertainment that have been set up for the festival.
Rituals that Bring Good Fortune
While celebrating, Thais also spend this time cleansing themselves from the prior year so they are free and ready for the new year. One ritual they use to cleanse themselves is a bathing ritual. Within this ritual, people will pour water on the senior Buddhist monks as they believe this will bring good luck to the new year. After the water has been poured, the chief monk will put on a sermon and bless everyone that attended the ritual.
Cleansing the Bad Luck
As mentioned above, Thais feel passionate about cleansing themselves in the new year to avoid bad luck and to bring good fortune. Thais will usually spend the last day of the year cleaning their homes. There are also many other rituals people complete to cleanse themselves such as cleaning/bathing rituals.
Visit Amarin of Thailand in Wellesley This New Years
If you haven’t already made dinner plans for New Year’s Eve or New Year’s Day, consider ordering out from Amarin of Thailand in Wellesley, MA! We have an extensive menu with delicious Thai dishes that will not disappoint. If you have any questions feel free to give us a call at (781) 239-1350 or fill out a form on our website!