Christmas in Vietnam

Hoi An Guide | Festivals in Vietnam

Revised December 2022.

There are many festivals in Vietnam and while Tet Holiday is the big one, many others are celebrated and seen as important to the spiritual well being of all. Christmas in Vietnam is an increasingly popular celebration, with Christmas trees and Christmas carols becoming more pervasive every December.

Christmas nowadays falls in line with Buddha’s Birthday, Tet and Mid-Autumn Festival as being amongst the most important holidays in Vietnam. Although Vietnamese people may not celebrate Christmas as widely as other festivals, it is still an important day for many. And while it’s not a national holiday, more and more non-Christians join in attracted by the yuletide spirit and the emphasis on family and friends.

When is Christmas in Vietnam?

Christmas in Vietnam also takes place on December 25th, although Christmas Eve is considered more important than the day itself.

Is Christmas Celebrated in Vietnam?

Yes, Merry Christmas in Vietnamese is Chuc Mung Giang Sinh and it’s common to see Christmas trees and hear carols in shops and cafes in the weeks leading up to the 25 December.

Christmas celebrations in Vietnam are still quite new but they continue to grow each year. Even Santa Claus gets in on the action. In Vietnam where age is venerated, Santa is called ‘Ong gia Noel’ which means ‘Christmas old man’!

History

The Role of Missionaries and the French

The first missionaries in Vietnam (French Jesuits in 1615) and those that followed introduced Catholic churches, schools and festivals such as Christmas and Easter here and there. But it wasn’t until the 19th century under French colonial rule that celebrating Christmas became more widespread. By the end of French rule 11 per cent of the population were Catholic.

Communism and Christmas in Vietnam

After the communists assumed power in 1975, church and state relations changed. Christmas in Vietnam – along with its festivals – went underground and greetings of ‘Merry Christmas’ virtually disappeared on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day in public.

It hadn’t been forgotten that prominent Catholics in southern Vietnam had held high ranking positions during the colonial period and the war. Also remembered with bitterness by the victors of the Vietnam War – known as the American War in Vietnam – was the persecution of Buddhists in the south by Catholic Prime Minister, Ngo Dinh Diem, who was ousted in a coup in 1963 because of it.

But as the years passed Christmas emerged from the shadows and nowadays it is openly acknowledged and widely celebrated.

Where Should You Spend Christmas in Vietnam?

Ho Chi Minh City

One of the best places to spend Christmas in Vietnam is Ho Chi Minh City. The Christmas buzz is more prominent there throughout the holiday season than anywhere in Vietnam. Christmas Eve is particularly lively and youthful crowds mill around the department stores that are twinkling like Christmas trees, resplendent in their Christmas decorations.

In the city center, Christmas carols seem to waft from every nook and cranny and Santa Claus is never far away during the festive season. For the excitement of the big crowds that gather, especially on Christmas Eve, Nguyen Hue Walking Street is the place to be.

Impressive sights like Notre-Dame Cathedral and the iconic (and pink!) Tan Dinh Church are the best places to celebrate Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve and pray in days leading up to Christmas in Ho Chi Minh City.

Hanoi

In Hanoi less boisterous and more wintry Christmas celebrations of carols and nativity scenes can be found at St Joseph’s Cathedral. Hanoi’s department stores rival the exuberant light shows, Christmas decorations, Santa Claus outfits and yuletide spirit of their southern cousins too.

Da Nang and Hoi An

Da Nang and Hoi An provide seaside resort options and mild conditions as well in December. They both have Catholic churches and traditional Christmas Midnight Mass services, albeit on a smaller scale.

Da Lat

The picturesque town of Da Lat is another popular destination during the Christmas season. This mountain getaway offers spectacular views and mild (if not chilly) temperatures throughout December. Both locals and tourists celebrate Christmas in Da Lat with church services at Immaculate Conception Cathedral.

Ninh Binh Province

The extraordinary Phat Diem Cathedral in Ninh Binh Province, the most popular spiritual place for Vietnamese Catholics, attracts church goers from around the country for its Christmas Eve Midnight Mass.

Phat Diem Cathedral, the Catholic spiritual heart of Vietnam, is visited by many at Christmas
Phat Diem Cathedral, the Catholic spiritual heart of Vietnam, is visited by many at Christmas

What is Christmas Like in Vietnam?

Christmas in Vietnam is celebrated in a similar manner to other countries that recognize Christmas as a holiday. However, as noted already, Christmas Eve is considered more important than Christmas Day. On that day Christmas masses are held and nativity scenes are placed in front of parishes and homes.

Traditions in Harmony

Local and Christmas traditions often intermingle in Vietnam. For example, decorations made with yellow marigolds and Christmas trees covered with red lotus flowers, symbolizing good fortune and happiness, are common.

Also, in many ways Christmas has been reshaped by local lore in Vietnam. From the get-go, missionaries mostly saw the sense in maintaining local belief systems and integrating them into Christian practice. Ancestor veneration, for example, is by and large respected by the Catholic Church in Vietnam. Sometimes biblical figures are described as ancestors too.

Incense burning and chanting of prayers – activities that are deeply rooted in Vietnamese spiritual life – have been preserved in the Mass and other ceremonies, including Christmas Mass.

New musical forms that combine both Christian and traditional instruments such as drums and flutes have also evolved accompanying hymns and Christmas carols.

At Christmas in Vietnam it's no surprise to see local children in Santa outfits
At Christmas in Vietnam it’s no surprise to see local children in Santa outfits

In the other direction many Vietnamese Christians have adopted traditional Christmas celebrations from other cultures. During the holiday season, Christmas markets can be found throughout Vietnam selling handmade gifts and decorations as well as Christmas treats like candy apples, hot chocolate and eggnog. Christmas parades featuring floats decorated with Christmas trees, Santa Claus figures, candy canes and light displays are also common, and all over Vietnam it’s no surprise to see plenty of kids wearing Santa outfits.

First and foremost, Vietnamese people celebrate Christmas as (yet another!) time to spend with family and friends, just as we do in the West. Nothing can beat time with family and friends for most Vietnamese which may well go a long way to explaining why celebrating Christmas in Vietnam has been gaining momentum quickly.

The Nativity Scene

Nativity Scenes have been especially embraced by Christians in Vietnam and locals love to visit them. All Catholic churches and some Christian homes set up the re-creation of the birth of Jesus. Some even have life-sized statues of the baby Jesus and the rest of the cast, and in certain Catholic parishes whole streets may be decorated with Nativity Scenes.

The Christmas Feast

Christmas in Vietnam. The Victoria Hotel in Hoi An is one of many venues in Vietnam that puts on special Christmas lunches and dinners
Christmas in Vietnam. The Victoria Hotel in Hoi An is one of many venues in Vietnam that puts on special Christmas lunches and dinners

Vietnamese people celebrate Christmas in Vietnam with a special Christmas Eve meal of dishes like roast chicken, sticky rice cake with bean paste (Bánh Trôi Nước), deep-fried spring rolls (Chả Giò), fried pork chop served with fish sauce (Thịt Heo Quay) and beef stew (Bò Kho). Desserts include pumpkin-flavored steamed cakes (Bánh Bèo) or sugarcane syrup stewed fruits (Che). It’s also a tradition for family members to prepare several dishes together on Christmas Eve as a sign of unity within the family unit.

Following French tradition, the popular dessert that is shared or given as a gift is ‘bûche de Noël’ (chocolate log cake).

Tourist hotels and major restaurants invariably offer a Christmas dinner fare of roasts with all the trimmings, seafood and scrumptious Christmas desserts like Christmas pudding, buffet-style and set menu. If your hotel isn’t doing this the one down the road will welcome you if you book in time.

Christmas Shopping in Vietnam

Vietnamese Christmas tradition includes Christmas presents and Christmas cards, although this is more for children (including visits from Santa). Many stores run Christmas sales and it’s a great opportunity for locals and tourists alike to go bargain hunting for themselves as well as searching for Christmas gifts for others.

What is the Weather Like in Vietnam at Christmas?

You can expect cool nights and mild days in Hanoi and the north and temperatures in the low 20s and some rainy days in Central Vietnam. While Ho Chi Minh City will have maximum temperatures around 30 degrees, overnight minimums will drop to the low 20s.

In some mountainous areas in the north it may even snow.

Written By
Stuart Neal

Former publisher at ABC Books and Consultant Publisher at Allen & Unwin in Australia, Stuart Neal is co-founder of the travel website, Hoi An Now.

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