Christmas in Vietnam -Christmas is one of the four most important festival of the Vietnamese year, including the birthday of Buddha, the New Year and the Mid-autumn Festival. Although the Christians observed the religious rituals of Christmas.

 

Christmas in Vietnam -Traditional Vietnamese religions are Buddhism and the Chinese philosophies of Taoism and Confucianism. However, during French rule, many people became Christian, taht accupy 8 to 10 person of whold population. this is because the Vietnamese are a fun-loving, sociable people and the various Vietnam festivals and events are actually accassions for them to a gale time, all together. Christmas in Vietnam in a grand party.

 

History Of Christmas in Vietnam

 

Christmas in Vietnam has had a tumultuous history. The Catholics are minority in Vietnam but they used to celebrate Christmas in Vietnam quite in peace right from the days of the French rule. That is until the Communists took over political power in 1975. The church-state relations soured during that time and the Catholics were relegated to celebrating Jesus's birthday in privacy.

 

Since the end of the Vietnam War in 1975, church-state relations have not always been smooth. However, they have been improving since the introduction of economic reforms in the late 1980s. Liberalist policies adopted since the 1980s saw Vietnam warming up to Western influences and ideals and Christmas in Vietnam came back triumphantly. Now Christmas is one of the major Festival in Vietnam, celebrated with much fanfare by all religious communities.

 

Phat Diem Cathedral in Ninh Binh province is considered the spiritual home for the seven million Catholics who live in Vietnam, a predominantly Buddhist nation. Hundreds of Catholics gather for Christmas Eve Mass in the northern city of Phat Diem. Childrenstaged a nativity play to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christor Kito, as he is know inVietnamese- i front of the city's cathedral, built in 1891.

 

Christmas in Vietnam

 

Christmas in Vietnam is a huge event, especially in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam and the Vietnamese Christmas celebrations here are like any other city in the western world. The Christians in Vietnam attend a Midnight mass on Christmas Eve and return hom to a sumptupous Christmas dinner. The Christmas dinner usually consists of chicken soup while the wealthier people eat turkey and Christmas pudding.

 

On Christmas Eve, Vietnamese people in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, especially young people, like to go into the city centre, where there is a Catholic cathedral. The streets are crowded with people on Christmas Eve and in the city centre cars are not allowed for the night.

 

People celebrate by throwing confetti, taking pictures and enjoying the Christmas decorations and lights of big hotels and department stores. Lots of cafes and restaurants are open for people to enjoy a snack!

 

Vietnam used to be part of the French Empire and there are still French influences in the Christmas traditions. Many Catholic churches have a big nativity crib scene or "creche" with nearly life size statues of mary, Joesph, baby, Jesus, the shepherds and animals. In some areas of Ho Chi Minh City, usually in Catholic parishes, people have big crib scenes in front of their houses annd decorate the whole street, turning it into a Christmas area! Theses are popular for people to visit and look at the scenes.

Also like in France, the special Christmas Eve meal is called "reveillon" and has a " buche de Noel" (a chocolate cake in the shape of a log) for desert. Vietnamese people like to give presents of food and at Christmas of food and at Christmas a buchche de Noel is a popular gift. Others Christmas presents are not very common, although some young people like to exchange Christmas cards.

The Yuletide spirit of giving and sharing has been embraced with an earnest by the Vietnamese. Generous as they are, the Vietnamese give out gifts and presents in plenty during the Christmas celebrations in Vietnam. However, the children are more keen to have their stockings and shoes stuffed in with goodies from santa'bulging sack. The European customs of Santa Claus and the Christmas tree were popular and children would leave their stockings and shoes  stuffed in with goodies from Santa's bulging sack. the Euopean customs of Santa Claus and the Christmas tree were popular and children would leave their shoes out on Christmas Eve.

 

Merry Christmas in Vietnam is "Chuc Mung Giang Sinh"!

 

 

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