Loy Kratong 2008

Also in November the kids got to celebrate their first real Thai holiday, Loy Kratong! Loy Kratong is known as the festival of lights, and is one of the prettiest holidays every year. Thais gather after dark by all the rivers and waterways, dressed in traditional costume, and release into the water their “kratongs,” which are made of either bread or a floatable palm base, decorated with lots of flowers (orchids, marigolds, chrysanthemums, etc.), candles, and incense sticks. They light the candles and incense before releasing the kratong and then let it float down the river, releasing all the negative feelings and bad things that may have happened to them in the past year so that they can start fresh.

Here at Nichada, where we live, there was a festival by the pool and Nichada lake (they are adjacent to each other.) Tim, Caroline, Leah, and Nate all got dressed up in their Thai costumes and were able to release the kratongs they had made at school in Thai class out on the lake. There was also a ton of good Thai food, traditional Thai dancing and music, lots of games, etc. – lots of fun!

(Most of these pictures are the kids in their costumes. The one with Leah and the little blond girl is her best friend, Jeanre. The other ones are the Thai dancers at the festival and some of the kratongs floating on the lake.)