Christmas Celebration in Vietnam

Christmas in Vietnam is a festive holiday, although it is not a traditional Vietnamese celebration, as Christianity is a minority religion in the country. However, Christmas has gained popularity in recent years, and it is celebrated in a unique and colorful way. Here's how Christmas is typically celebrated in Vietnam:

Decorations

While Christmas is not an official public holiday in Vietnam, the holiday season is marked by colorful decorations. Streets, shopping centers, and restaurants are adorned with festive lights, ornaments, and Christmas trees.

Christmas Mass

For the Christian minority in Vietnam, attending a Christmas Mass on Christmas Eve is a significant tradition. Many churches are beautifully decorated for the occasion, and the Midnight Mass is especially well-attended.

Gift-Giving

Gift-giving has become more common in recent years, particularly among young people and families. Gifts are often exchanged on Christmas Eve.

Caroling

Caroling is a growing tradition in Vietnam, especially in urban areas. Groups of young people may visit homes, sing Christmas carols, and collect small donations.

Christmas Parties

Christmas Eve is often a time for gatherings with family and friends. Many people attend parties at hotels, restaurants, or homes. Special festive meals may include both Western and Vietnamese dishes.

Acts of Charity

Some Vietnamese people take the opportunity to engage in acts of charity during the Christmas season, helping those in need and supporting local charities and community organizations.

Cultural Celebrations

In some urban areas, there may be cultural events, concerts, and street festivals to celebrate Christmas.

Santa Claus

The figure of Santa Claus, known as "Ông Già Noel" in Vietnamese, is popular among children. He is depicted as a kindly old man who brings gifts to children on Christmas Eve.

Public Displays

Some cities in Vietnam, such as Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi, feature public displays and light shows to mark the holiday season.

Unique Customs

Christmas in Vietnam also incorporates some unique customs. For example, it's common for Vietnamese people to release lanterns into the sky, a tradition that symbolizes letting go of worries and welcoming new opportunities for the coming year.

While Christmas is not a traditional Vietnamese holiday, it is embraced by many as a time for celebration, gift-giving, and togetherness. The combination of festive decorations, cultural traditions, and a growing recognition of the holiday creates a warm and joyful atmosphere during the Christmas season in Vietnam.

Christmas is one of the four most important festivals of the Vietnamese year, they being. Although the Christians observed the religious rituals of Christmas.

In Vietnam, Christmas is one of the four main annual festivals (other than the birthday of Buddha, the New Year and the mid-autumn festival). It is celebrated as the birthday of Jesus Christ, known here as "Kito". The fesival is observed here with great gusto despite the fact that Buddhism is the dominant religion in Vietnam and Christians form only a minority.

Catholics originally formed a small population in the country but they used to celebrate Christmas quite peacefully right from the days of the French rule. But all that changed when the Communists came to power in 1975. Being atheists, they could never get along with the Church and Christmas began to be celebrated privately. However, liberalist policies adopted since the 1980s saw Vietnam get influenced by the western influences and ideals. This helped in the comeback of Christmas in the country.

Today, Christmas is one of the major festivals in Vietnam and celebrated with much enthuisiasm by people of almost all religious communities. In Ho Chi Minh City, Christmas is a big event and celebrated quite in the European tradition. The Christmas decorations here are more or less similar to the Western Christmas beautifications.

On Christmas Eve, devout Christians attend a midnight Mass. Thereupon, they return to their homes for the Christmas supper. The Christmas supper is the most important meal of the Vietnamese Christmas. The menu for the common people traditionally consists of chicken soup, while the well-heeled have turkey and Christmas pudding. For Vietnamese Catholics, Phat Diem (a city in North Vietnam) holds a special religious significance. Hundreds of Catholics congregate here for Christmas Eve. Children stage a nativity play in the church to celebrate the birth of Jesus.

Children in Vietnam believe in the existence of Santa Claus and put their shoes in front of their doors on Christmas Eve. On the morning of 25th December, they wake up to find their boots filled with treats and presents laid under the Christmas tree.