In the year’s end chilliness, the streets of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh city glitter with Xmas decorations, Xmas has been increasingly important in Vietnam though Christians make up only 5 per cent of the population. Xmas season also means busy market with services and sales.
Busy market
This year Xmas market started in November. Traditional streets of Hang Ma, Hang Can, Luong Van Can (Hanoi) are full with diversified commodities. A Xmas tree of 1.8 – 2.2 metres high is sold from VND500,000 to several million depending on decorations. This year, the decorations are enriched with dried branches, electronic lights, etc. Vietnamese commodities are more beautiful but more expansive than Chinese goods.
According to Ms Thu Hong, owner of Noel 65 shop (Hang Ma), most of the prices are 3-5 per cent or even 10 per cent higher than that of last year due to higher transport fee and production cost. Nevertheless, the consumption is at record high. In early December the purchase is already double that of last year.
Souvenir shops have always been ahead in unique designs for Xmas, such as hand made bags decorated with snow man, Xmas trees on necklaces and rings, red gloves, perfume candles in pine-cone shape, snow man in cloth, etc. offering big choice for customers.
Services have also been developed for the season including packaged service. Hanoi Post Office and branches launch special deliveries with postal workers clad as Santa Claus delivering gifts door to door. The charge is VND50,000-60,000 depending on the distance. The delivery is also performed by deer drawn sledge (in disguised car) to the children and the charge is naturally much higher.
Xmas is the sale season with trade promotion to increase turnover including promotion programmes of cell phones as S-Fone, Viettel, Hanoi Telecom. For its part, FPT Mobile promotes sales of Samsung and Motorola cell phones in Hanoi with gift and bonus.
Fascinating recreation centres
Cagi Paulette Lewis, lecturer of Genetic – Singapore school in Vietnam said that this Xmas is his 7th in Vietnam “the atmosphere is not different from Singapore, The streets are crowded in Xmas evening with busy games and recreation. This year, I will join Vietnamese at the church mass to feel at home”, he said.
No doubt, Xmas is a big ceremony for Christians. Hanoi Cathedral, Ham Long and Cua Bac churches will be open for tourists together with cultural performances. In particular, at 10.00 AM of December 25, a big mass will be organized in Hanoi Cathedral with the participation Chritians from all Hanoi dioceses.
Hotels and restaurants are fully decorated for the occasion. Ho Tay restaurant boats will offer special programmes for customers. They will be treated with delicious foods and cultural performances on board.
Big hotels are putting final touch to the preparation to ensure joyful Xmas for foreign tourists and the locals. Many Hanoians have already booked their dinner at Daewoo, Hilton, Horison, Sofitel Metropole (US20 for adults and US15 for children) for Chinese and European dishes amid music and Xmas carol. Sofitel Plaza hotel will offer a special programme of gastronomy and festivities.
Many tourist companies have come out with attractive tours to Sapa for three days/nights at US$80/person, Hanoi-Dalat by plane for three days at US$120.
Huong Ly
Vietnamese
