Oh. Tanenbaum. (Huh?)
Vietnam is very much not a Christian nation. Yet, there are some signs of the recent holiday around town. A few examples I’ve seen:
- Christmas trees in a few shops, restaurants, hotels, etc. The one in front of the western-style grocery store is 15 feet tall and white, with blue and green lights. It bears a banner noting that it is sponsored by Heineken. Good to know that the most commercialized holiday on the planet can be officially sponsored by a beer company.
- The few churches (remember, VN was colonized by France, well into the 20th century) are very much decorated with colorful flags, banners, lights, etc.
- Faux pine garlands are placed here and there. It reminds me of Florida, or someplace really warm where people try to make it look like it might get cold and snowy. But it won’t. Pine garlands next to palm trees always look a little off.
- Red and yellow lights festooned across one of the People’s Party buildings – but these may be to honor the People (red and yellow are the nation’s flag colors – red background, yellow star) rather than to honor the Christ child.
- A human-sized, white/pink skinned Santa Claus mannequin “playing” a saxophone in a shop window. Swaying back and forth to the “music.” Scary.
- Christmas trees in a few shops, restaurants, hotels, etc. The one in front of the western-style grocery store is 15 feet tall and white, with blue and green lights. It bears a banner noting that it is sponsored by Heineken. Good to know that the most commercialized holiday on the planet can be officially sponsored by a beer company.
- The few churches (remember, VN was colonized by France, well into the 20th century) are very much decorated with colorful flags, banners, lights, etc.
- Faux pine garlands are placed here and there. It reminds me of Florida, or someplace really warm where people try to make it look like it might get cold and snowy. But it won’t. Pine garlands next to palm trees always look a little off.
- Red and yellow lights festooned across one of the People’s Party buildings – but these may be to honor the People (red and yellow are the nation’s flag colors – red background, yellow star) rather than to honor the Christ child.
- A human-sized, white/pink skinned Santa Claus mannequin “playing” a saxophone in a shop window. Swaying back and forth to the “music.” Scary.
posted by Kris at 4:54 AM
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