Chinese New Year in Thailand

On Sunday Sutin and Kanya, my host family invited me to go with them to honor ancestors for the Chinese New Year. We went to Kanya’s mom’s house, not sure what province, about an hour from home. We started very early, 6:00am, with LOTS of food, leis, flowers and packages. When we arrived, we unpacked it all from the car and Kanya and her mom started setting up. Sutin took me upstairs and we wai’d (the gesture of placing your hands folded in front of you and bowing your head) the Buddha. We placed incense sticks on the alter. Then we took all the food out to the spirit houses and placed it all on the alters. Kanya and Sutin began to decorate the houses with small figures of elephants, buddhas, king and queen (I think), the flowers, leis, and candles. The food included pork, chicken, desserts, cookies, 4 different fruits, whiskey, water. After all the decorations were in place, we each got about 6 incense sticks that we lit and wai’d and prayed at the spirit houses. Finally, we did a similar, smaller ritual in the house in front of Kanya’s dad’s picture. All very simple and easy to participate. Kanya cut a large palm leave and put a little of all the foods and drinks on it. That was left by a tree right next to the spirit houses. The decorations all stayed. We took the food back to the porch and sat on the floor to eat. I wish I knew all the names of different dishes and fruits, but I don’t just yet. All so good. There is a fish pond on the property and we fed the fish bananas after lunch. Then we packed it all up and came home for some rest on Sunday afternoon. The pictures are of the spirit houses, the home Kanya grew up in and Sutin, Kanya, her mom and I. It was interesting to compare my reaction to insects to theirs. Several ants showed up for the picnic and all were completely ignored, no effort to brush them away and certainly not to kill them. It is just part of life here, for everything. Dogs and cats are not neutered or euthanized or kept behind a fence much.