charvey in Vietnam

Vietnam Christmas: Hanoi Edition

Another Christmas in Vietnam.  According to annual tradition, last week I hosted the 4th annual screening of "It's a Wonderful Life" at VietnamWorks.  ["A toast!  To my big brother George -- the richest man in town!" chokes me up every time.]

This year I decided to spend Christmas with the North team in Hanoi.  Special thanks to Bryan Pelz for a special Christmas Eve dinner at his house on Nha Tho street, ground zero of Christmas Hanoi.  He had great company and Bing crooning Christmas faves.  Felt all Christmas-y!

Like Saigon, Christmas in Hanoi is a big party.  The big day is Christmas eve.  Kinda feels like New Years in the USA.  People flock to areas with public Christmas decorations to pose and snap pictures with their kids dressed in little Santa suits.  Oh, and they cruise like massive schools of fish coursing down the streets.  I took a bunch of pics of my own.  Enjoy!

Click here for a full-screen slide show.  Click here for more goodness from Christmas years past.

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas

As long time readers of this blog know, the Vietnamese are crazy about Christmas.  Every year it gets bigger.

Last night I visited what I can describe only as a "Christmas Depot" next to a church not far from my house in District 3.  I needed to pick up some supplies to decorate my office area.  There were Christmas supplies galore -- snowmen, snowflakes, santa outfits, lights, Christmas trees (fake), everything.  You nameit they had it.  I snapped some pics on my swanky new phone.

There were several shops set up, each with different proprietors.  An efficient market at work.  I bought some snowmen from these cheerful women.  Definitely into the Christmas spirit!

The "Santa Suit Shoppe," Saigon outlet.

A nativity scene done in signature Technicolor Vietnam style.

Christmas tree section showed impressive variety.

For more Christmas goodness, check out my Christmas post from last year here.