When we first got to Chiang Mai, Thailand, I noticed these little houses that were very colorful and had flowers, little nicknacks, and some times food. These houses are all over Chiang Mai! My mom did a little bit of research and found out that these houses are referred to as Spirit houses. Spirit houses are little houses that are placed outside of homes and businesses. They are to house spirits that will protect you and you home or business, you can give them offerings such as fruit and flowers to say thanks. We learned that there are many rules that take place when building a spirit house that often people ask Buddhist monks or Brahman priests to assist them. This is important to do because if you make a mistake in the process the spirits will bring you bad luck! At the completion of constructing the house, a special ceremony is performed by a priest or monk. There is much more to learn about spirit houses if you are interested on the topic!
Here are some photos I took of just a few of the many spirit houses I have seen in Chiang Mai, Thailand.