Christmas bells are ringing, red cap with a white tassel on the top is visible, the Santaclaus is here! But at a school in Thailand, Santaclaus is an Elephant! According to a report by NDTV India, Jirasartwitthaya School in Ayutthaya, North of Bangkok, recently had an elephant dressed up as a Santa and distributed gifts to children to celebrate Christmas.
According to Lardthongtare Meepan, owner of the Ayuttahaya Elephant Palace, an elephant camp, four elephants and mahouts visited the school. He further said that while the elephants donned as Santaclaus distributed gifts, performed dance and tricks, the students and elephants formed a Christmas tree together.
According to Sun Daily, on seeing the elephant Santa Claus, a primary school student, Patcharamon Sukpiromsunti said with delight, “I am very happy to see them and they are very cute. I love elephants because it dances very cute.”
Another student said, “It makes me feel like I have a lot of friends. The elephants handing out candies, toys, dolls, and so many other things.”
Last year also the tradition was performed with five elephants at Jirasartwitthaya School and delivered stuffed toys and gifts to the students.It is reported that the tradition of Elephant Santa is 15 years old. Every year elephants become Santa Claus, distribute gifts, perform tricks and dance to entertain the children in the school in Thailand, a predominantly Buddhist country. Moreover, an elephant is the national animal of the country and is a significant figure of Thailand’s History and Literature.
