We made our list and checked it twice, then autocorrect had a go too. This Christmas, the Lifestyle Asia team grabs paper and pen to drop some truth bombs and answer the question: who or what is on your naughty or nice list this year?
Did you know that the ‘North Pole Government’ has a ‘Department of Christmas Affairs’ where it releases a naughty or nice list every year? The latest was just updated this 21 December, and if you can’t find your name on it, you can even submit it for review. Absolutely endearing, and a staple Christmas tradition for years now, the website stems from a belief that Santa Claus has a list of naughty or nice children, the latter group being the sole recipients of his elf-made presents.
Whilst almost every member of our team knows that Santa — sorry, spoiler — isn’t real, we loved the idea of making a naughty or nice list for anything and everything we experienced this year.
Some entries were clear from the get-go. Taylor Swift and Beyonce obviously top the nice list for many reasons, not only for their stardom, but also for their actually enormous impact on local economies, too. Elon Musk and his X (a social media platform) lean more towards our naughty list. Highly anticipated concerts, cheeseburgers, and the 2023 General Election fall somewhere in between, and all of it is wrapped up with a red-as-Netflix bow as a tribute to everything we loved and loathed to stream this year.
The year 2023 has given us plenty to nitpick, dissect, and even argue about. From shots of tuna and tequila to Succession, here’s who (or what) you will find on our individual naughty or nice lists this year. No explanations needed.
[Hero Image Credit: Eliott van Buggenhout/Unsplash; Featured Image Credit: HBO]
LSA Opinion: Who (or what) is on our naughty or nice list this year
ES, Senior Writer
Nice
-Baldur’s Gate 3
–Taylor “Taytay” Swift
-Two ShakeShacks now existing in Thailand
Naughty
-Elon Musk
–The Platform Formerly Known as Twitter
-Couples that have one TikTok account and do nothing but “prank” each other
PC, Content Writer
Nice
-The rise of mala hotpot around Bangkok
–FKJ concert in Bangkok
-Bijoux de Beurre’s iconic Mille-Feuille
Naughty
–lululemon being available in Thailand but I still can’t afford it
-The Real Cheeseburger at Burger King
-Thai politics
PL, Features Editor
Nice
-Isaan noodles at Zao Zen
-Thai film ‘Doi Boy’ for shining a spotlight on sex workers and human trafficking
-Bangkok’s outdoor film festivals
Naughty
-Too many mall openings in one year
-True-Dtac merger—and their more expensive network plan
-Bangkok’s hot and smoggy weather
KV, Content Writer
Nice
-Me
-Memes from Movers and Shakers Co. helping me get through the day
-My bottle of Galliano collecting dust and cobwebs on the lower-top shelf, looking over me replacing the bottles of Vermouth for the 5th time and rearranging my bitters over the counter.
Naughty
-Also me
-That one guy ordering a Hibiki and coke
-The shot of “Hot Mexican Hooker” I had last month, made from tequila, tuna fish juice, and tabasco.
LG, Creative Content Director
Nice
-Started doing Pilates, probably because of Harry Styles
-%Arabica opens next to our office
–Tom Wambsgans, CEO
Naughty
-Imagine driving to Emsphere
-The hangover after the 50 Best Bars events in Asia
-How often my BF thinks about the Roman Empire
TC, Content Writer
Nice
-River City ‘On Cloud Nine’ exhibition
–50 Cent ‘The Final Lap’ concert
-Cherry red colour
Naughty
-Overpriced menu at The Cheesecake Factory
-The new Wonka
-Bangkok heat in December
Lisa Gries
Creative Content Director, Bangkok
Lisa is the Creative Content Director at Lifestyle Asia and Prestige Thailand. When she’s not knees-deep in SEO analysis or editorial calendars, you’ll likely find her in downward-facing dog at the yoga studio, or immersed in conversation at a secret bar in China town. Lisa writes mostly on dining, travel, and pop-culture, and is a huge fan of soup dumplings, Riesling, and power napping — in exactly that order.
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