All Lit Up

The Holiday:  Loy Kratong

This is such a pretty holiday!  With hundreds of lanterns floating in the sky, candles and incense floating on homemade flower boats down the river, fireworks lighting the sky and candles around the perimeter of each yard. LIGHT is important to this holiday.

A fountain of flames to rid the yard of evil spirits.

Interesting advice on a box of mini M-80s.

We learned that each flower boat in the river is symbolic of a prayer of forgiveness and worship to Buddha, and each candle on the property is keeping the evil spirits away from the dark corners.  The lanterns are released into the air along with the evil thoughts, and the fireworks are to scare away evil spirits.

Juni modeling traditional Northern Thai costume.

The floating flower boat made by our neighbors.

Ornate decorations around the neighborhoods. 

Finn holding the lantern, and getting ready to light the wax.

George keeping it steady and his face from burning until it's ready to float up.

Off it goes...adding to the hundreds already up and flying away.

The next day, these are all over the city!

We enjoyed learning about this new holiday with our neighbors.  We said our own prayers to the Spirit we don't have to fear, the One who has been invited into our lives and the dark corners of our hearts.  The Spirit we love to serve.  The Spirit we can call Friend, Father and King.