This year the Vietnamese are taking Christmas very seriously. For many people outside of Vietnam who feel that Christians are persecuted in Vietnam, I think a visit to Vietnam today would shock them. Churches as packed. Stores and shopping centers are trying to outdo each other in providing the ‘best’ Christmas decorations. The streets are crowded with holiday shoppers.
Christmas is very open in Vietnam.
Even in my alleyway, the local People’s Committee asked the neighbors to provide 50,000 VND ($3.30 US) to contribute to the Christmas lights decorations. I live in a Catholic area so I am not surprised though I live in what I call a Buddhist Enclave (about 4 houses in my area are Buddhist). Still, the decorations are nice and my landlord will be short 50,000 VND this week 🙂
(Zen Plaza in District 5)
(Saigon Tax Center – District 1)
(Nguyen Hue Street – District 1)
(Saigon Tax Center – District 1)
(Nguyen Hue Street near Traffic Circle – District 1)
(Inside Saigon Tax Center – District 1)
(My alleyway in the Phu Nhuan District)
(My alleyway in the Phu Nhuan District)
Notice in the last picture, we had to put up our Vietnamese flags again for the holiday season. Times are changing here in Vietnam 🙂
Check oout Chris Harvey (charvey)’s post about Christmas here in Saigon.
You know exactly why people think that, who tell them to think this way and from what country they come from. It’s still the old cold war issue of “godless communist” again.
hmm… I didn’t have my flag up for the holidays, nobody asked. (Generally when the flag is required, the local neighborhood head-guy comes by and shouts at the house: hey! get your flag up!)
david @ livinginsaigonvietnam.blogspot.com