Festive lights and decorations welcome Christmas in HCMC

Ho Chi Minh City is bustling with preparations to bring in the festive season.
With one week to go, Christmas carols can be heard in malls, churches and homes. People are jubilant and there is gaiety on the streets as shoppers look to buy Christmas gifts and novelties.
Christmas in Vietnam is a big event, especially in Ho Chi Minh City. Streets, homes, malls and churches are bedecked with lights and decorations and all businesses plan special celebrations for their customers.
On Christmas Eve, Vietnamese people in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City like to go to the city centre where there is a historic Catholic Cathedral. Streets are crowded with people and cars are not allowed in some areas to allow people to move freely.
People celebrate by throwing confetti, taking pictures and enjoying the Christmas decorations and lights of nearby big hotels and department stores. Lots of cafes and restaurants are open and people are seen enjoying the festive mood.