A TEFL Christmas

Whether you want to believe it or not, it’s Christmas time again! Jingle bells, tis the season, deck the halls, and all that jingle. Whether you’ll be watching Home Alone, Love Actually or Die Hard, we’re sure you’re looking forward to the season of brussels sprouts and mince pies. 

But maybe you’re not at home this year. Maybe you’ve qualified as a TEFL teacher and you find yourself on foreign shores this festive season. What can you expect from holiday cheer this year? Let’s have a look at Christmas in some of our most popular TEFL destinations. 

Christmas in Thailand

With over 90% of Thais being Buddhist, we’re sorry to say that Christmas Day is just another working day in Thailand. But that doesn’t mean you’ll be missing out on any festive cheer if you’re teaching in Thailand. Thais are well-known for their love of sanuk or fun, and Christmas is a great time of year for that. 

From elephants in Santa costumes handing out presents at schools, to statues with Santa hats, and Christmas carols in their unmistakeable Thai/English, Christmas spirit can be felt on the streets of Bangkok to the beaches of Koh Samui. But remember, the big celebrations will happen over the first full moon in April when the entire country celebrates Songkran, or Thai New Year.

Christmas in Japan

Similarly, Japan focuses more on New Year celebrations than Christmas because only a minority of the population is Christian. Having said that, Christmas in Japan is a time to party! Christmas Eve is considered the most romantic day of the year, and the Christmas period is a time for friends to host dinner parties, enjoy get-togethers – and generally have a party!

During the Christmas period, you can find the Christmas spirit at one of the many Christmas markets, where you can enjoy mulled wine and kurisumasu keki (Christmas cake). But on Christmas Day, you can forget about the roast turkey and the glazed ham. It’s Kentucky Fried Chicken for Christmas dinner in Japan!

Christmas in China

In China, Christmas is the season for shopping! As the world’s largest manufacturer of plastic Christmas trees and decorations, the major Chinese cities are decorated every year to mark the occasion. Packs of Santas can be seen roaming the streets, with Santa usually playing a saxophone!

One gift which you’re likely to receive on Christmas Day is a Peace Apple, which is an apple wrapped in decorative cellophane. The word for apple in Mandarin is similar to the word for peace, so eating a Peace Apple will give you peace and safety for the year ahead.

Christmas in Spain

If you’re looking for Christmas festivities, Spain has got you covered! You know the Spanish don’t need an excuse to have a fiesta and Christmas is one of the biggest celebrations of the year. In fact, Christmas festivities begin mid-December and continue until January 6.

Christmas fun includes a Christmas lottery, nativity scenes, and receiving presents on January 6. Christmas dinner is enjoyed on Christmas Eve with family, and usually includes some sort of roast – or lobster!

Christmas in Poland

If you’re in Poland for Christmas, you’re in for a treat! But before you get involved in any celebrations, your house needs to be in tip-top condition. So the days before Christmas are spent dusting, washing and cleaning.

Christmas dinner is eaten on Christmas Eve – but not before the first star is seen in the sky! Dinner includes 12 dishes, from beetroot soup to carp to gingerbread. They eat oplatek (a wafer), with each person breaking off a piece as they wish each other Merry Christmas. An extra place is set at the table for any uninvited guests. And much to the dismay of every child in Poland, Christmas presents can only be opened once dinner is finished!

Who knows, maybe next year you’ll be enjoying KFC for Christmas or winning the lottery! 

PS If you sign up for one of our TEFL courses and get TEFL qualified, you’re taking the first step towards living and teaching in a different country.