Ho-ho-ho! Christmas cheer is in the air, even in Bali! Even though there’s no snow and minimum Christmas-themed decorations, Christmas in Bali is celebrated with fine weather and lots of fun in the entertainment hotspots. Though being a predominantly Hindu culture, thanks to tourism, Christmas is widely celebrated by the Balinese and everyone on the island.
What happens on the island during Christmas? In a nutshell, everyone gets into the holiday spirit and entertainment centres put up Christmas decorations and plays Christmas music. Also, fireworks!
School’s out and students enjoy around two weeks of fun-packed holidays with their families and friends. However, locals might not be celebrating Christmas in particular, save for the Catholics and Christians which make up a small portion of Bali’s population. Locals usually go out of town or, if they can’t get plane tickets due to high demand, stay at home and spend time with their families. Children in particular can be seen playing games of football in the fields around villages or, especially in the more developed areas of Bali, hanging out at arcades or cafes with their friends.
Missing the tinsel and baubles and Christmas feeling? Don’t worry. It is during Christmas when the upscale malls and hotels in Bali save no expenses on bringing the cheer of Christmas to the tropical island. In Kuta and Seminyak, the entertainment hotspots of Bali, you can be certain that most of the stores along the street are decorated with Christmas-y decorations and playing Christmas music. The upscale malls have the most grandeur decorations, like huge Christmas trees, plywood cut-outs of Santa Claus, or employees dressed up as Santa. It is also during Christmas the malls offer many discounts and promos, like on drinks and dinners. If you’re looking to decorate your dwelling for Christmas, decorations are available at hardware shops. In tranquil Ubud, restaurants also put up Christmas decorations to invoke that Christmas spirit. So, though you might feel a bit awkward about celebrating Christmas in the tropical heat (or rain), you can still enjoy the Christmas spirit far from home.
Since Christmas is close to New Year, the celebrations are often held together. So, don’t be alarmed if you see fireworks going off during Christmas. No, we’re not trying to drive Santa away with anti-aircraft fireworks. Usually, firework shows are held at hotels. You could even purchase some from the many vendors on the streets. Maybe the fireworks were meant to compensate the lack of snow. They’re also believed to drive away bad luck.
So, even if you’re far away from the snow, there’s a lot of Christmas spirit in Bali. From decorations to celebrations, you won’t feel far from home even when you’re celebrating Christmas on a tropical island.