What expats think about Christmas in Vietnam   Homer Samaroo and his wife and daughter at their home decorated with Christmas theme in HCMC on December 22, 2013. By courtesy of Homer   Mathew Shafaghi and his family in HCMC.By courtesy of Mathew   Landon Carnie, American of Vietnamese origin. By courtesy of Landon Tuoitrenews picked up some stories from several expats living in Ho Chi Minh City about their Christmas celebrations. Ilda Briosca, French, nearly 7 years in HCMC My family is visiting me this year and we will cook all together and have a big dinner on Christmas Eve. After dinner, the kids start to get very excited as they know the moment is coming. We will wait until 12AM, when the kids hide in the bedroom while “Pere Noel” comes to our house to leave presents. When we hear him leaving, we all come back to the living room so that the kids can discover their gifts. I keep Christmas decorations here simple with a Christmas tree, stockings, and nice table decorations. The Christmas decorations in Saigon are very impressive. It’s a bit strange for me to see people taking so many photos on the street because in France most people stay at home with their family to celebrate Christmas on December 24 but in Vietnam Christmas looks much more like an outdoor party with friends. It’s just one more occasion for people to hang out and take photos. Homer Samaroo, American, 5 years in HCMC In the past, it was difficult to enjoy the Christmas celebration, due to the fact that I was alone in HCMC, with few friends and family, and always working. However, I believe this year will be very different because I have a new family. I think this will be the start of many fun Christmases to come. We got a Christmas tree and set it up to enjoy the holiday. I am quite aware of the elaborate and extravagant decorations many of the malls have on display to attract customers and to show their Christmas spirit. Sometimes they remind me of being back in New York City during the holidays, with the noise, window displays, and atmosphere of Christmas.  The only thing missing is the snow, and I’m sure eventually someone will figure out how to bring snow here to give it even more of a Christmas feeling. Mathew Shafaghi, British, 5 years in HCMC Last year was my first time celebrating Christmas and the New Year in Vietnam and I loved it. We celebrated Christmas with the family, went out, shopped, attended events, and got some rest. We got stuck in a traffic jam last year in front of Diamond Plaza where the streets were very crowded and full of lights. This year, we have set up the Christmas tree with some presents under it. We also plan to cook turkey for Christmas dinner and probably travel to Da Lat for a couple of days to generally enjoy the festive season. Randy Person, American, 2 years in HCMC This will be our first year celebrating in Vietnam. One of our sons will be visiting us, and we plan to do some traveling. We have put up a string of colored lights at our home. I found District 1 festive with all the wonderful Christmas decorations and Christmas music. It makes me feel like the city is welcoming and very considerate of those who celebrate Christmas. I am thankful for those that take the time and effort to make this time special for us. Nobuyuki Iwatsuki, Japanese, three months in HCMC I’m looking forward to Christmas and the New Year here, because Vietnam is bedecked with lots of ornaments and lights. I will enjoy my Christmas celebration with my co-workers who are Japanese, Vietnamese, and Singaporean. I would like to go anywhere with my Vietnamese colleagues. I find the decorations here as cute as in Japan. There are many decorations in the entrance hall of my home put up by the apartment staff, and my workplace has a big Christmas tree. Supanida Chantarin, Thailand, 4 and a half years in HCMC I usually go out and have Christmas dinner in a nearby restaurant in District 7. The lights and decorations in the city during Christmas are really nice. One of the differences between the Christmas atmosphere in Vietnam and in my country is that we have more decorations and more sales. Patrick Sharbaugh, American, 5 and a half years in HCMC. In Vietnam, it’s nice to see the Christmas decorations put up by retail merchants. However, I think Christmas is not about buying stuff. It’s about being with family, enjoying food, parties, and the feeling of warmth and generosity toward all human beings. There are a few things that expats might do to make the Christmas holiday in Vietnam look like their home: trim trees, write a letter to Santa, make an advent calendar, send Christmas cards, attend the company Christmas party, drink eggnog, and eat rum and sausage balls. One of the most obvious differences is that Christmas happens in the middle of winter in America, so it’s usually quite cold and the days are very short. In Vietnam, it can be difficult to get into the Christmas spirit when it’s the same temperature and day length in December as it is year round. Landon Carnie, American of Vietnamese origin I first arrived in Vietnam in 2002 and left in 2008, then returned in 2010, so I've seen Vietnam develop and change for the better part of 11 years. I remember very few decorations my first Christmas in VN. None of the shopping centers did anything, and there were no hanging lights on Le Loi or Dong Khoi Street. I don’t like crowds so I usually invite a few friends over and we do a BBQ and watch cheesy movies to celebrate the Christmas holiday. I'm glad that Vietnam has taken on these more "western" holidays: the youth very much enjoy them as they have become a holiday for friends. The country may even have surpassed some places in the US with their decorations and shopping frenzies. The only difference I see is the TV coverage. I don't really see much in VN whereas in the US all the major channels cover all the big holiday events and parties. Melvin Fernando, Malaysian, 5 and a half years in Vietnam Christmas is important to me as I am a Catholic and I celebrate Christmas. On the night of the 24th I usually go to church, Duc Ba or another one. After church, we go home and have supper with the family, maybe open Christmas gifts as well. Sometimes I go out for a good meal, maybe a buffet at a 5 star hotel with my family and friends. I am surprised by the Christmas atmosphere in Ho Chi Minh City, because it seems to be quite a big thing here. There are a lot of parties. My family used to come to Vietnam and they also really enjoyed the atmosphere. I would recommend expats go to Duc Ba church to celebrate Christmas with a lot of Vietnamese. They can also go to some bars where expats usually gather to celebrate the holiday with people from many different cultures. One of the differences between the Christmas atmosphere in Vietnam and in Malaysia is that there are lots of Christmas Carols sung in shopping malls in my country. There are Christmas sales everywhere. Churches, shopping centers, and even houses all have Christmas decorations.  TUOITRENEWS