Christmas in Vietnam
Originally Viet Nam's major religions consisted of Buddhism, Confucianism, and Daoism, which still includes the majority of the population. Catholicism was not introduced until the French occupied Vietnam and people started to become Christians around the late 19th century. In other words, the holiday is still somewhat new to the Vietnamese people when you consider the fact that Buddhism has been there since 189 B.C.
Compared to the other religions in Vietnam, the number of Christians is a lot smaller. Christmas was first celebrated by the Catholics in Vietnam from the time that the French were there until the Communists took over. From then until the 1980s, Christmas had to be celebrated privately since Christianity did not get along with the new government. With the arrival of more liberal policies, Vietnam was opened to western ideals and customs, meaning Christmas was once again welcome.
Christmas has become a big celebration with many Western similarities in terms of decoration, presents and even meals. On Christmas Eve, the people attend mass late at night and then return home to prepare for the next day. On Christmas day, the people start to get the supper ready as it is the important part of the holiday.
Traditionally, common people's supper consists of chicken soup, while the more fortunate have turkey and Christmas pudding. In the past, Christmas was mostly based on French customs for the holiday while today there is more Western influence. Today, the common custom of supper at home has changed.
Unlike Christmas in the United States, where most of the celebration takes place in the home with home cooked meals and family gathering, the Vietnamese hold the event outside. By this I mean that today people tend to celebrate Christmas by going out to eat in restaurants and having fun around the city with their family.
I think this is the major difference in how Christmas is celebrated in Vietnam. Other than that, the culture is pretty much open so you can enjoy the holiday as you like without worry of any restriction.
There are of course presents to be shared and that also means that Santa Claus is near. Santa Claus is also known as Ong Gia No-en or Old Man Noel. It's been said that Old Man Noel is a fairy who has magical powers and would give gifts to good little boys and girls.
In Vietnam, the children put their shoes in front of their houses on Christmas Eve and wake up the next morning to find Santa has filled the shoes with gifts. If the family has a Christmas tree (cay Giang Sinh), Ong Gia Noel then will sneak into the house in the middle of night to put the presents under the tree. Don't worry kids, Santa will not be going to jail anytime soon since there are no house alarms in Vietnam.
I will not keep you here for long. I know that everyone have a lot of things to take care of. From wherever I am and wherever you are, may your holiday be filled with warmth and joy. We wish you a Merry Christmas. If you have any questions, again, don't hesitate. Email: info@vietnamtypicaltours.com
