Christmas is a working day in Mongolia….I have never worked during Christmas although i am a non Christian. As a malaysian, we do celebrate Christmas in Malaysia with our fellow Christian friends. All shopping centers and pubs/restaurants are full of christmas decoration. It is lively and happening in Malaysia.
Do Mongolians celebrate Christmas? Traditionally, they don’t but u can see many people selling christmas trees and christmas decoration items either in the shopping mall or along the street. I guess this could be due to the influence of the Russian or westerners. Some even decorated their car with some christmas decoration items…around the bumper or the rim. At first, i thought it was a wedding car..but then i realised it was actually for christmas celebration…hehehe
Many people here don’t really know what is christmas for? How to celebrate christmas? For some people, it may just another reason to get drunk…somehow, i managed to find my way to celebrate christmas in Mongolia. I went to a ger district church…a missionary community under Mother Theresa..There are many mongolians who went to the church either for food or Say Mass, blessing, religions guidance or hopes. Somehow the missionary community church provided a warm and meaningful environment to the children, the old and youngs. The church was crowded with people. Children were performing a drama, singing…..a warm and holy way of celebrating Christmas a cold ger district area in Mongolia.
I was late that day. My friends and i have to wait outside the chapel at the second door..it was freezing cold..my feet was like being soaked into the ice that evening..Anyway, my friends who came earlier took some pictures of the Mass and performance. The sisters then served us some food. Nothing much we did there we just brought some food, snacks to the children. Talking with the sisters and friends. That’s how i spent my Christmas in Mongolia. Pictures taken below are out of courtesy of Maggie Oh.
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