Christmas here in Vietnam is I think more pleasant, at least for adults,
than in the States because people don't exchange gifts. Instead it's a
sort of city-wide street party, with everyone out touring around and
all the streets (downtown) decorated, and with Christmas music coming from
the loudspeakers. Also the Catholics go to mass and the
Buddhists tend to go to Temple (although of course everyone knows its
not a Buddhist holiday the Buddhists celebrate anyway).
The absence of gift giving means you don't have the commercial
(bordering on crass) elements of the holiday in the States, and none of
the pressure. Because it's so public, you also don't have the
loneliness for those without families.
Later in the winter comes Tet (known in the West as Chinese New Year)
when people really go to Temple (I don't know what the Catholics do) and
give children and certain others "lucky money" (relatively small
amounts in a decorated red envelope -- red in Vietnam is the color of
good luck). Nothing to buy except the envelopes -- sold all over the
city by street vendors -- so not commercialized.
There is to my mind here a trade-off. Not having to pick out a gift for
each person avoids a lot of stress and, since this is mainly about
children, the disappointment children can express when they don't get
what they wanted (adults of course hide their feelings and just exchange
or return it the next week). However, are gifts of money really
gifts? The "lucky" part and the red envelopes camouflage the tasteless
aspect of hard cash rather than something personal. Still, it also has
the huge benefit of avoiding commercialization and all that that brings
with it.
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