Christmas in Vietnam, what you need to know
Christmas in Vietnam, what you need to know
Nov 18, 2011 11:17:10 AM
In Vietnam, Christmas wascelebrated joyously with people thronging city roads right from Christmas Eve,which is often more important than Christmas Day!
Famous Cathedral in Hanoi
Christmas is one of the four mostimportant festivals of the Vietnamese year, including the birthday of Buddha,the New Year and the Mid-autumn Festival. Although the Christians observed thereligious rituals of Christmas.
Traditional Vietnamese religions areBuddhism and the Chinese philosophies of Taoism and Confucianism. However,during French rule, many people became Christians, that occupy 8 to 10 percentof whose population. This is because the Vietnamese are a fun-loving, sociablepeople and the various Vietnam festivals and events are actually occasions forthem to a gala time, all together. Christmas in Vietnam is a grand party.
History of Christmas In Vietnam
Christmas in Vietnam has had atumultuous history. The Catholics are a minority in Vietnam but they used tocelebrate Christmas in Vietnam quite in peace right from the days of the Frenchrule. That is until the Communists took over political power in 1975. Thechurch-state relations soured during that time and the Catholics were relegatedto celebrating Jesus’s birthday in privacy.
Since the end of the Vietnam Warin 1975, church-state relations have not always been smooth. However, they havebeen improving since the introduction of economic reforms in the late 1980s.Liberalist policies adopted since the 1980s saw Vietnam warming up to westerninfluences and ideals and Christmas in Vietnam came back triumphantly. NowChristmas is one of the major festivals in Vietnam, celebrated with muchfanfare by all religious communities.
Phat Diem Cathedral in Ninh BinhProvince is considered the spiritual home for the seven million Catholics wholive in Vietnam, a predominantly Buddhist nation. Hundreds of Catholics gatherfor Christmas Eve Mass in the northern city of Phat Diem. Children staged a nativityplay to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ - or Kito, as he is known inVietnamese -- in front of the city's cathedral, built in 1891.
Christmas In Vietnam
Christmas in Vietnam is a hugeevent, especially in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam and the Vietnamese Christmascelebrations here are like any other city in the western world. The Christiansin Vietnam attend a Midnight mass on Christmas Eve and return home to asumptuous Christmas dinner. The Christmas dinner usually consists of chickensoup while wealthier people eat turkey and Christmas pudding.
On Christmas Eve, Vietnamesepeople in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, especially young people, like to go intothe city centre, where there is a Catholic Cathedral. The streets are crowdedwith people on Christmas Eve and in the city centre cars are not allowed forthe night.
People celebrate by throwingconfetti, taking pictures and enjoying the Christmas decorations and lights ofbig hotels and department stores. Lots of cafes and restaurants are open forpeople to enjoy a snack!
Vietnam used to be part of theFrench Empire and there are still French influences in the Christmastraditions. Many Catholic churches have a big nativity crib scene or 'creche'with nearly life size statues of Mary, Joesph, baby Jesus, the shepherds andanimals. In some areas of Ho Chi Minh City, usually in Catholic parishes,people have big crib scenes in front of their houses and decorate the wholestreet, turning it into a Christmas area! These are popular for people to visitand look at the scenes.
Also like in France, the specialChristmas Eve meal is called 'reveillon' and has a 'bûche de Noël' (a chocolatecake in the shape of a log) for desert. Vietnamese people like to give presentsof food and at Christmas a bûche de Noël is a popular gift. Other Christmaspresents are not very common, although some young people like to exchangeChristmas cards.
The Yuletide spirit of giving andsharing has been embraced with an earnest by the Vietnamese. Generous as theyare, the Vietnamese give out gifts and presents in plenty during the Christmascelebrations in Vietnam. However, the children are more keen to have theirstockings and shoes stuffed in with goodies from Santa’s bulging sack. TheEuropean customs of Santa Claus and the Christmas tree were popular andchildren would leave their shoes out on Christmas Eve.
Merry Christmas in Vietnamese is “Chúc Mừng Giáng Sinh”!
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Famous Cathedral in Hanoi
Christmas is one of the four mostimportant festivals of the Vietnamese year, including the birthday of Buddha,the New Year and the Mid-autumn Festival. Although the Christians observed thereligious rituals of Christmas.
Traditional Vietnamese religions areBuddhism and the Chinese philosophies of Taoism and Confucianism. However,during French rule, many people became Christians, that occupy 8 to 10 percentof whose population. This is because the Vietnamese are a fun-loving, sociablepeople and the various Vietnam festivals and events are actually occasions forthem to a gala time, all together. Christmas in Vietnam is a grand party.
History of Christmas In Vietnam
Christmas in Vietnam has had atumultuous history. The Catholics are a minority in Vietnam but they used tocelebrate Christmas in Vietnam quite in peace right from the days of the Frenchrule. That is until the Communists took over political power in 1975. Thechurch-state relations soured during that time and the Catholics were relegatedto celebrating Jesus’s birthday in privacy.
Since the end of the Vietnam Warin 1975, church-state relations have not always been smooth. However, they havebeen improving since the introduction of economic reforms in the late 1980s.Liberalist policies adopted since the 1980s saw Vietnam warming up to westerninfluences and ideals and Christmas in Vietnam came back triumphantly. NowChristmas is one of the major festivals in Vietnam, celebrated with muchfanfare by all religious communities.
Phat Diem Cathedral in Ninh BinhProvince is considered the spiritual home for the seven million Catholics wholive in Vietnam, a predominantly Buddhist nation. Hundreds of Catholics gatherfor Christmas Eve Mass in the northern city of Phat Diem. Children staged a nativityplay to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ - or Kito, as he is known inVietnamese -- in front of the city's cathedral, built in 1891.
Christmas In Vietnam
Christmas in Vietnam is a hugeevent, especially in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam and the Vietnamese Christmascelebrations here are like any other city in the western world. The Christiansin Vietnam attend a Midnight mass on Christmas Eve and return home to asumptuous Christmas dinner. The Christmas dinner usually consists of chickensoup while wealthier people eat turkey and Christmas pudding.
On Christmas Eve, Vietnamesepeople in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, especially young people, like to go intothe city centre, where there is a Catholic Cathedral. The streets are crowdedwith people on Christmas Eve and in the city centre cars are not allowed forthe night.
People celebrate by throwingconfetti, taking pictures and enjoying the Christmas decorations and lights ofbig hotels and department stores. Lots of cafes and restaurants are open forpeople to enjoy a snack!
Vietnam used to be part of theFrench Empire and there are still French influences in the Christmastraditions. Many Catholic churches have a big nativity crib scene or 'creche'with nearly life size statues of Mary, Joesph, baby Jesus, the shepherds andanimals. In some areas of Ho Chi Minh City, usually in Catholic parishes,people have big crib scenes in front of their houses and decorate the wholestreet, turning it into a Christmas area! These are popular for people to visitand look at the scenes.
Also like in France, the specialChristmas Eve meal is called 'reveillon' and has a 'bûche de Noël' (a chocolatecake in the shape of a log) for desert. Vietnamese people like to give presentsof food and at Christmas a bûche de Noël is a popular gift. Other Christmaspresents are not very common, although some young people like to exchangeChristmas cards.
The Yuletide spirit of giving andsharing has been embraced with an earnest by the Vietnamese. Generous as theyare, the Vietnamese give out gifts and presents in plenty during the Christmascelebrations in Vietnam. However, the children are more keen to have theirstockings and shoes stuffed in with goodies from Santa’s bulging sack. TheEuropean customs of Santa Claus and the Christmas tree were popular andchildren would leave their shoes out on Christmas Eve.
Merry Christmas in Vietnamese is “Chúc Mừng Giáng Sinh”!
Visit our site for more information
Cruise Halong Bay
Vietnam Heritage
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