Christmas carols echofrom churches and twinkling lights illuminate main streets and shoppingcentres. With Christmas right around the corner, many families in Hanoiare rushing to celebrate the festive season.
DespiteChristmas celebrations not being a tradition for most of the Hanoians,the Western-originated festival has become more popular, particularlyamong young people, in Vietnam.
Arriving home withseveral shopping bags, Lien Huong - a PR manager at a local bank inHanoi, said she spent almost a half day purchasing baubles, Christmastree decorations and other holiday items.
"Housedecorations are my hobby, so I definitely can't miss this occasion toadd some decorating ideas for my house. The tree was set up by myhusband a few days ago. My job now is to decorate it, with theassistance of my children," she said.
Huong spentmore than four years living in Sydney with her husband, while he pursueda PhD, and the Hanoi-born woman remembers how wonderful the SydneyChristmas was. She recalled that it was totally different from herearlier thoughts about Christmas, which revolved around pine trees,Santa Claus and snow.
"In Sydney, local people andtourists flocked to the beach to celebrate the holiday, wearing redSanta hats or red swim wear. Some people erected small Christmas treeson the sand and sunbathed by the trees. Others dressed up as Santa Clauswhile surfing. It was extremely fun," Huong said.
"It is also the first time I experienced a +real+ Christmas."
After returning to Vietnam in 2007, her family continued celebratingChristmas, despite neither she nor her husband being Christian.
Without eating roasted turkey and drinking mulled wine, many people only want a plastic tree for the holiday.
Phuong Ha, a housewife, said this year she decided to purchase a 2mhight Christmas tree, along with many decorations, bringing joy to hertwo children, aged five and three.
"I didn't buy aChristmas tree when my children were toddlers. This year, they are grownup enough and are able to realise everything. I could see the joy in mydaughters when they were allowed to hang decorations on the tree," shesaid.
For office employee Bich Ngoc, Christmas is a chance for parents to reward children with gifts.
"My children have no idea about the meaning of Christmas, but theyknow it is the time when they can receive some surprises – a Christmastree and toys."
In Vietnam, Christmas is also a chance for young people to enjoy a good time with friends.
"Although none of us know exactly what the meaning and origin ofChristmas is, but we like it. We grab this chance to give gifts to ourbest friends and boy or girlfriends," teenager Thuy Dung said whiletaking photos with her friends outside a luxury five-star hotel, whichhas been decorated with thousands of lights.
Business fortune
Since the end of last month, Hang Ma street in the Old Quarters hasbeen filled with colours of thousands of ornaments and other items,offering local people some very early Christmas experiences.
At any shops along the 500m street, people can find items for theirChristmas-themed decorations: pine trees, sponge snowmen, artificialsnow flakes, baubles, tartan ribbons and wrapping paper.
According to a shopowner, Do Thi Hong Thuy, who has run her family'sshop for more than 20 years, the business selling Christmas merchandiseboomed four years ago. "Before that time, there were only some shops onthe street offering Christmas items, but now you can't find any shopthat doesn't sell Christmas-themed items. It shows the increasing demandof Vietnamese people to celebrate the festive season."
An encouraging sign is that this year many made-in-Vietnam productshave dominated the market. "Most of these products, which are assophisticated and beautiful as imported ones, have been made in privateworkshops in Ho Chi Minh City," Thuy said.
She also revealed that 50 percent of her clients are local residents, while the rest are from northern provinces.-VNA
