Loy Krathong- The Festival of Lights (Jackie)

Imagine a star-filled night sky, gleaming pinpoints of light in the darkness. Now  imagine dozens of large, brightly lit lanterns drifting in long chains over a lake and into the distant stars . People of all ages stand by the water, laughing, writing wishes on tissue thin lanterns, trying in pairs or groups to light the flammable ring within without setting the delicate lantern flaming.  More and more lanterns join the winding chain while bad wishes or unlucky winds send other lanterns to wither and smoke in the branches of trees or to crumple slowly into the water. The moon is bright and full and can be seen between the trees, shining brightly white among the cheerful yellow glow of the lanterns gliding past. In the water are hundreds of Krathongs, exquisite boats of intricately folded banana leaves and flowers, each lit with a candle and sent into the water along with any grudges kept from the year.

The krathongs are hand-made and exceptionally beautiful, and are made lovingly by people of every age, from little up. The porous trunk of the banana tree floats and is used as the base of most krathongs, which are then pinned with banana leaves and an array of colorful flowers.

While I did not make my own krathong this year, I watched as all the young children spread out on benches and on the floor of the school cafeteria  to make them, much more skillfully and creatively then I ever could have. Watching all the tiny hands cut, fold, and pin the leaves, delicately place flowers, and add multiple layers to their once plain piece of trunk astonished me and I couldn’t stop smiling and admiring their handiwork. Even my kids, the middle and high schoolers, who generally distain any and every school activity, worked in groups to make large and complex floats to enter in a school contest. Many of the girls preformed in traditional Thai dances and were painted up in heavy make- up and brightly colored clothing for the schools Loy Krathong event. Walking through school that day was like being on a Disney set, where every boy or girl was a prince or princess.  

Loy Krathong is a rare type of festival with a seamless intertwining of tangible beauty and emotional significance. It is unlike any festival or holiday in the States because it is a very personal celebration, though it is shared with family and close friends.  The idea of the festival is to let go of any grudges and receive forgiveness without having to admit or confess anything to anyone.  The symbolic gestures of releasing delicate lanterns into the sky or sending off bad feelings on a boat captures the essence of the celebration perfectly  as the grace and simplicity of the motions mirror the supposed ease with which forgiveness and inner peace is attained.

 Even though the celebration is much larger and more impressive in the North, Loy Krathong instantly became my favorite holiday and I’m looking forward to bringing it back Stateside. I’ve always loved watching the lanterns drift along at concerts and random night events and I have to admit that I was more excited about this holiday than I am about any of the upcoming American holidays. If you can find any large lanterns at home I would highly recommend letting one go with friends or loved ones, it’s beautiful to see and it feels surprisingly wonderful to make a wish on something, even if it is a drifting lantern.