Christmas in Vietnam

Christmas is one of the four most important festivals 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.

Traditional Vietnamese religions are Buddhism and the Chinese philosophies of Taoism and Confucianism. However, during French rule, many people became Christians, that occupy 8 to 10 percent of whose population. This is because the Vietnamese are a fun-loving, sociable people and the various Vietnam festivals and events are actually occasions for them to a gala time, all together. Christmas in Vietnam is a grand party. Tours to Vietnam

History Of Christmas In Vietnam

Christmas in Vietnam has had a tumultuous history. The Catholics are a 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.

Hoi an, a peaceful meeting place

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 festivals in Vietnam, celebrated with much fanfare by all religious communities. top 3 must see tourist attractions in Can Tho

Christmas in Vietnam

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. Children staged a nativity play to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ - or Kito, as he is known in Vietnamese -- in 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 home to a sumptuous Christmas dinner. The Christmas dinner usually consists of chicken soup while wealthier people eat turkey and Christmas pudding.Christmas tree at Fortuna Hotel (Hanoi)
Christmas tree at Fortuna Hotel (Hanoi)


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 and decorate the whole street, turning it into a Christmas area! These 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 'bûche de Noël' (a chocolate cake in the shape of a log) for desert. Vietnamese people like to give presents of food and at Christmas a bûche de Noël is a popular gift. Other 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’s bulging sack. The European customs of Santa Claus and the Christmas tree were popular and children would leave their shoes out on Christmas Eve.

Merry Christmas in Vietnamese is “Chúc Mừng Giáng Sinh”!

Ministries, localities join hand to develop tourism

The Government has assigned specific tasks to ministries and localities nationwide to make tourism spearhead economic growth.

Localities, especially those with prominent tourist sites, must raise public awareness of maintaining security and order and servicing tourists in a friendly way, according to a resolution recently issued by the Government. Halong bay cruise

The Government also gave the nod to funding for a national action plan on tourism and a national tourism promotion programme in 2015.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MoCST) was asked to work together with other ministries and sector in devising plans to draw foreign visitors from potential markets. Tours to Vietnam

Ministries, localities join hand to develop tourism

In coordination with the MoCST, the Ministry of Planning and Investment will work on all possible incentives for investments, especially those going to infrastructure and key national tourist areas as listed in the comprehensive master plan on tourism development until 2020, with a vision to 2030.

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The Ministry of Finance is in charge of reviewing the investment law and other decrees, thereby making proposals to make possible changes in regulations on hotel and travel business.

At the same time, it will examine regulations on importing hi-end travel vehicles such as hydrofoils, cruise vessels, seaplanes and balloons, and report to the Government before June 30, 2015.

Regulations on land allocation and taxes on land use will also be adjusted in a way that eases financial burden on accommodation and tourist facilities.

Chol Chnam Thmay Festival

Chol Chnam Thmay FestivalThis holiday is the New Year festival in ancient calendar of Khmer people. Held in mid-April, the festival occurs in 3 days (4 days for leap year).People prepare new clothes, food and drinks for whole festival days. They also repair, clean and decorate their house. Everyone is excited to care for holiday. Vietnam tours

This holiday is also called Chol Chnam Thmay (or Chaul Chnam Thmay). It is the New Year festival in ancient calendar of Khmer people. Held in mid-April, the festival occurs in 3 days (4 days for leap year). Each festival day has a different name: The first day is named “Moha Songkran” (or Chol sangkran Chmay); the second day is named “Wanabat” (or Wonbof); the third day is named “Tngai Laeung Saka” (or Lom Sak); the fourth day (only in leap years) is also named Wonbof. In this holiday, people usually visit each other, wish each other fortune, health, prosperity and join many fun games together. People prepare new clothes, food and drinks for whole festival days. They also repair, clean and decorate their house.

Central Highlands and Qui Nhon Beach 7 days

Glimpse of Central Highlands 5 days

Chol Chnam Thmay Festival

Everyone is excited to care for holiday. At night of eve, every family prepares a lavish meal, burns incense and candles to welcome new god, farewell the old god. On the altar, they present 5 flower branches, 5 candles, 5 incense, 5 cereal seeds and fruit crops. They pray for health and luck in the New Year. Chol sangkran Chmay day is the first day of calendar procession ceremony. Major activities are bathing, dressing nice, bringing sacrifice gifts to the temple in good time which has been selected. People bring sacrifice gifts such as incense, flowers and fruits to the temple and put them on gilded trays. After doing palanquin procession ceremony, they chant to welcome a new year. On Wonbof day, they make rice offerings and cover the sand mountain. People cook rice and bring it to the temple in the morning and the afternoon. In the afternoon, they hold the sand mountain covering ceremony to pray for love. On Lom Sak day, they do Buddha bathing and monk-bathing ceremony. In the morning, peop