Inspired by a marvellous book she has at home, Brigitta Backstrom - the wife of Finland's Ambassador to Thailand Lars Backstrom - is again hosting her "Festive Tables" today, which will raise money for the Thai Red Cross Society while celebrating the world's cultures - with a little help from Santa Claus.

Madame Backstrom became aware of the Red Cross Bazaar soon after she arrived in Bangkok two years ago. The diplomatic community is quite active in the annual event.

 "I was thinking of doing something for the Red Cross here and I was reading 'Tiffany's Table Settings' and saw the beautiful dinner-table decorations," she says.

Last year's "Festive Tables" at the Intercontinental Hotel was a great success, with several ambassadors' spouses participating.

Now an annual event of its own, it features beautiful decorations collected from around the world. This year 23 diplomatic wives are contributing seasonal customs from their home countries.

"We want to show the Thai people how we celebrate festivals differently all over the world," Backstrom says. "As ambassadors' wives we're setting tables year-round for many official functions, so it's something we can do very well and very easily."

Each spouse decorates a round table, nearly two metres in diameter and draped with a white cloth, using "flowers and lot of imagination".

"There's no competition, and we don't want any competition, but we all want to show our best, so every table is beautiful.

"Of course, the highlight of the event is always a visit from Santa Claus," Backstrom says, adding that the fabled cheer-bringer actually originated in her country.

"We're very privileged to have the real one in Bangkok at the moment, and he'll be there at the event, all day long, to greet the children and all who want to talk to him - and he speaks many languages."

Contacted at the Peninsula Hotel, where he's currently receiving children's wish lists, Santa acknowledges that he's fluent in Finnish and English any day, but when Christmas comes around, a special magic allows him to converse in all languages.

This year's event is at the Nai Lert Park Hotel. Drop by today anytime from 10am to 4pm. The Bt100 admission fee goes entirely to the Thai Red Cross.

Every entry ticket goes into a draw, the winner of which will be flown by Finnair from Bangkok to Finland's capital, Helsinki, and from there to Rovaniemi in the northern Lapland region, which is where Santa lives.

Juthamas Cholthavornpong

The Nation