BANGKOK — Have a holly jolly Christmas eating German sausages, watching holiday classics, partying with fabulous drag queens and more this year in Bangkok.
Although the year-end holidays will be muted this festive seasonyear, there are a number of events from fun to random going around town. So expand your holiday experience beyond shopping mall sales and Christmas-tree selfies with a variety of reasons to celebrate the season.
Eat, Play, Shop at German-Style Christmas Market
Bangkok goes Berlin for one night when German flea market pops up on a Lumphini-area lawn.
At Weihnachtsmarkt, expect everything traditional and German from currywurst, mulled wine and homemade baked goods to crafted gifts, board games and a raffle. Shop through knick-knack stalls and watch a German holiday short.
Tickets are 150 baht and include food, drink and a raffle ticket. Don’t want them? Guests can walk in without tickets.
The street market starts at 5pm on Saturday at the Goethe-Institut.
Gin-sane Feast at Chomp
A cafe on Soi Samsen 1 will serve five courses from a delightful gin-based menu, with cocktails to wash it down. Expect a variety of choices from the meaty – shrimp and turkey with Citadelle Gin – to vegetarian-friendly options like spicy pomelo salad with citrus gin dressing and Sloe Gin baked apples with vegan whipped cream.
The full menu and booking details are available online. The event is limited to two seatings and costs 1,000 baht per person.
The dinner goes from 6pm to 8pm on Dec. 25 at Chomp.
Have A Very Merry Malaise at The Friese-Greene Club
Private cinema the Friese-Greene Club on Soi Sukhumvit 22 will screen Christmas selections for two weeks straight. Expect cheerful festive flicks such as Bing Crosby-starring musical “Holiday Inn” and 2003 romcom “Love Actually” from Dec. 21 to Dec. 25.
Prefer your holidays maudlin? You got it. Five films with a darker side will show in the final week of the year including 1980 slasher “Christmas Evil” and Terry Gilliam’s masterwork of Kafkaesque dystopia, “Brazil.” The schedule is available online.
Watch Well-Loved Christmas Classics at Bangkok Screening Room
The most traditional Christmas movie ever, “It’s a Wonderful Life,” will show at Bangkok’s new alt cinema.
The 1946 fantasy drama will show at 6:30pm on Dec. 24 and 9pm on Dec. 25. Tickets are 300 baht for adults, 250 baht for students and 200 baht for children.
The Bangkok Screening Room is located on the second floor above a 7-Eleven on Soi Saladaeng 1. It’s walkable from MRT Lumphini’s exit No. 2 or BTS Sala Daeng’s exit No. 4.
Sing ‘Ho Ho Ho’ At Maggie Choo’s
Sunday’s regular Gay Night at Maggie Choo’s down Silom Road will be even more special it will throw a joyous party Ho Ho Ho X’mas Party.
The lineup features fabulous drag queen Pan Pan Narkprasert aka Pangina Heals. DJ Yui Truluv and DJ Steven G will spin all things ‘90s music.
Admission is 500 baht and there will be two hours of free flow 7pm to 9pm. The price after 9pm is 300 baht and includes one drink.
The party starts at 7pm on Dec. 25 at Maggie’s Choo’s in the basement of Novotel Fenix Silom hotel. It can be reached by taxi from BTS Surasak, BTS Chong Nonsi or MRT Silom.
Enjoy Latin-American Christmas Dishes in Sathon
Expand your definition of “American” southward when vendors and chefs from restaurants around town will gather at a coffee shop in the Sathorn to offer a variety of Latin recipes to celebrate Christmas season.
Hosted by Thai-Venezuelan, family-owned Ceresia Coffee Roasters, Latin Food Fest Christmas welcomes traditional food and dessert from six countries: Argentina, Venezuela, Ecuador, Mexico, Spain and Cuba. Stalk the stalls for yuletide yummies. Dishes will cost 100 baht to 300 baht.
The event starts at noon and runs until 4:30pm on Saturday at Ceresia Coffee Roasters. The cafe is located inside the 22-story Tisco Tower. The nearest public transportation is MRT Lumphini, MRT Silom or BTS Sala Daeng.
Have a Holly Bolly Xmas at Hidden Japanese Concert Venue
Mumbai-based folk soloist Maalavika Manoj aka Mali will sing her heart out on the fourth floor of a Japanese restaurant on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
Mali will perform acoustic songs from her albums and singles at 8pm on Dec. 24 and 7pm on Dec. 25. And yes, guests can always request some Christmas songs.
Tickets are 200 baht and include one drink, or pay 500 baht for all you can drink. The small space can accommodate only 30 people.
Livecube sits on the fourth floor of Okinawa Kinjo restaurant on Soi Sukhumvit 69. The best way to get there is via BTS Phra Khanong.
