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I'm trying to figure out what Santa Claus and presents has to do with church and why Asians can't just buy presents and play Santa without knowing about Jesus. Are they connected somehow? Did they know each other?
The Lunar New Year or start of the 'Spring Festival' is a big deal in China, Korea, Vietnam, Taiwan, Singapore, while in Thailand the new year starts in April.
Thailand celebrates 3 New Years. Lots of parties and fireworks in the larger cities and tourists areas Dec 31/Jan 1 and the Chinese New Year in Feb. They aren't legal holidays, but a good number of employers give employees the day off for the Chinese New Year. The official New Year holiday (Songkran), as you noted, is usually around mid-April. This is the one when people throw water around at each other. A refreshing way to cool off during the peak of the Hot Season. Originally, during Songkran, the younger people would go to the homes of their parents and elders to pour water to wash the hands and feet of elders as a sign of respect. Today, it's become more like a fun-filled street party with pressurized water guns, hoses, barrels and buckets of water in pickup trucks with water sloshed at anyone and everyone within splashing distance.
I'm trying to figure out what Santa Claus and presents has to do with church and why Asians can't just buy presents and play Santa without knowing about Jesus. Are they connected somehow? Did they know each other?
Christmas is just another example of the spread of globalised Western (largely American) consumer culture. Christmas, for most people even in Christian countries is more about Santa and presents than Jesus anyway. This is what the Asians have got. Santa is of course St. Nicholas, but I doubt few kids even know that anymore.
What % of Filipinos attend church regularly? What about young people (ages 18-35)?
This is the Church of my hometown
Thousand of people every month visits the church specially catholic day like Sundays or the 1st Friday of the month celebration specially holy week, Christmas, Birthday of Mary, Fiestas. But because people keep on coming even during week days. Church is offering everyday mass so the church is open starting at 3am in the morning until around 6-7pm. Our Lady of Manaoag is almost same as Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico and the Our Lady of La Naval in Manila.
What % of Filipinos attend church regularly? What about young people (ages 18-35)?
I still see people a lot go to church, I am catholic but I cannot say percentage. I don't know where you get the exact percentage of more than 100 Million people and almost 80-90 % of those are Catholics.
The Dia de Reyes or Epiphany is
The evening of January 5 marks the Twelfth Night of Christmas and is when the figurines of the three wise men are added to the nativity scene. In Mexico and many other Latin American countries, Santa Claus doesn't hold the cachet that he does in the United States. Rather, it is the three wise men who are the bearers of gifts, who leave presents in or near the shoes of small children.[74] Mexican families also commemorate the date by eating Rosca de Reyes.
Mexico has the Posadas as well in addition to the Semana Santa. Semana Santa isn't until around Easter in March. Also around January, Mexico also has the dias de los reyes magos, (The day of the three wise men)
Las Posadas is a nine-day celebration with origins in Spain, now celebrated chiefly in Mexico, Guatemala and parts of the Southwestern United States, beginning December 16 and ending December 24, on evenings. The children get like a small gift everyday for those 9 days, and I think it's like that one Jewish holiday.
I think that Mexico isn't quite as religious or as Catholic as it used to be, but it's still more than in the USA and Spain. Spain has lost a lot of cultural and religious things that Latin America has. I'm thinking the Philippines is still a little bit more religious than Mexico because I heard that many Filipinos don't like the use of contraceptives or birth control or pharmaceutical products. This is how Mexico was 20 or 30 years ago. I guess Mexicans are kind of ok with it.
Dia de los Reyes is also very important in Spain. It is also celebrated in the Philippines but this is one if the things that America removed and replaced it with Santa Claus. The Three Kings actually makes more sense than Santa Claus because The Three Kings were the ones who gave presents to Baby Jesus.
Yes many Filipinos are againts contraceptives and abortion. Divorce is not allowed too.
Since Thailand is predominately Buddhist, Christmas isn't a legal holiday. It's just another work day. However, in touristed areas, hotels, restaurants clubs, etc., especially shopping malls in Bangkok and other major cities, plenty of impressive Christmas decorations and displays can be found. December is a busy season for shopping by foreigners and Thais alike. Big events in December include the King's birthday (for respect), Christmas (for shopping), and New Year's (for partying).
Dia de los Reyes is also very important in Spain. It is also celebrated in the Philippines but this is one if the things that America removed and replaced it with Santa Claus. The Three Kings actually makes more sense than Santa Claus because The Three Kings were the ones who gave presents to Baby Jesus.
Yes many Filipinos are againts contraceptives and abortion. Divorce is not allowed too.
Well 3 kings exist in one of the native Filipino Surname like Tatlonghari, other surname Tres Reyes, my grandmother got my uncle's name from one of those 3 kings name 'Melchor' because he was born on the 6th of January, I know some Filipinos has the 3 kings as their surnames or names like Gaspar (Gazpar) and Baltasar (Baltazar)
Well 3 kings exist in one of the native Filipino Surname like Tatlonghari, other surname Tres Reyes, my grandmother got my uncle's name from one of those 3 kings name 'Melchor' because he was born on the 6th of January, I know some Filipinos has the 3 kings as their surnames or names like Gaspar (Gazpar) and Baltasar (Baltazar)
I think Philippines is the only Spanish colony that doesn't give presents on the day of the Three Kings and I am sure it is because of American influence. The rest of the Spanish colonies and of course Madre Espana give their presents every Three Kings. In Spain, it is one of the biggest events and Jose Antonio said it is the same in Mexico and the rest of Latin America.
I think The Three Kings makes more sense than Santa Claus because they were the ones who gave the presents to Baby Jesus when he was born. We should have followed more this tradition than the Santa Claus tradition.
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and why Asians can't just buy presents and play Santa without knowing about Jesus. Are they connected somehow? Did they know each other?
