WHAT DO YOU MISS THE MOST ABOUT CELEBRATING CHRISTMAS IN VIETNAM?

hristmas in the United States is a big occasion. Walking downtown of any city, we see thousands of people going about their holiday shopping. The stores are filled with a million things that we should buy in order to bring joy to our loved ones. Colorful decorations light up the shops, people's houses, and city streets. It is an amazing spectacle that is indicative of a wealthy nation like the United States.

Despite this festive atmosphere, many of us who had the fortune to be born in Viet Nam still remember something about what it was like to celebrate Christmas there. In the small cities and villages, there was none of the holiday shopping that we see now. There was no Christmas tree filled with ornaments and presents. And the decorations were much more modest. But for some reason, the Christmases in Viet Nam remain beautiful and moving memories for many of us. In this special holiday, "Young Catholic" takes the opportunity to ask some friends what they miss the most about celebrating Christmas in their homeland.

What I miss the most about celebrating Christmas in Viet Nam is attending the Christmas Eve mass. On this night, everyone walk on the road to the church, and it's a very festive atmosphere, a change from the ordinary. I also miss the decorations before Christmas, when we decorate the manger at the church. I also miss the Vietnamese carols and the food that we usually ate.

In Vietnam, usually we know all the people in our parish. So during Christmas, we have a chance to go to our friend's houses in the village, and we have lunch and dinner with them. It's a time for me to be with people whom I now and love. When we go to mass, in the United States, we get in the car and to drive to the church. In Viet Nam, we all walk from our house to the church. We walk together in big groups. It is difficult to describe, but it's that walking and talking together that give us a good feeling. The feeling there is different from here. Here, after mass, we just come home.

I miss the Christmas carols in Vietnamese. The choirs there sing very well. I miss the decorations also. Of course, the decorations in Viet Nam cannot compare with the decorations here (though it was a lot for us already). Another thing is that we usually have the mass in church. But on Christmas, we move it outside to accommodate everyone. So we enjoy the change of having mass outside. And many people come, both Buddhists and Catholics.

What is miss the most about celebrating Christmas in Viet Nam is the family gathering (Simon's family is still back in Viet Nam). We have a tradition of eating chicken soup after the mass. It's a time when everybody gathers together. I think that's the most important thing. It is also fun to spend time with friends in the neighborhood.

What I miss the most is the special atmosphere of the celebration and the excitement of the Christmas spirit in Vietnam. Also, what I really miss the presence of family and friends, the relationships between the people. Beside, it is also special because it is my native country.

When I was in Vietnam, Christmas was very fun and exciting. It was a time of joy and preparation for Jesus to come again in our lives. A month before Christmas, we prepared the manger and decorated the church. The process of preparation took a very long time. We took great pride in our decoration. It was always very fun to be part of the preparation group because internally it helped me to prepare for the coming of Jesus. It allowed me time to reflect on the meaning of Christmas and why it was so special for the Church and the community.

I miss hanging around with my friends on Christmas. We would talk, eat, and drink. Of course, I do the same thing here on Christmas, but over there, it is a different atmosphere and a different feeling. Another thing is that my friends and I would go from place to place to look at the mangers that different groups decorated.

What I miss the most is the excitement that we have during Christmas in Viet Nam. It is a time that we truly celebrate because we did not have many occasions for celebration. Even though there was not much because my family was poor, but what we really had was the closeness and the connection that my family and friends had with each other. Over here, we have many material things, but there is something about the simplicity of the Christmas in Viet Nam that stays forever beautiful in my mind.