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Christmas is coming, the neighbors are full of decorations. The people of one of Ho Chi Minh City’s oldest religious neighbors – Pham Hien Street, each of them contributes a hand to have a warm Christmas “Covid year”.
“Magnificent” decreased compared to the previous year
Villagers shared that compared to 2019 and prior years, the “magnificence” of the stone caves and lanterns of the “Covid year” 2020 was completely lost. The decoration is also mainly done by older people because the young people are mostly busy with work, just for free time.
The epidemic has made finances difficult, but villagers still band together to decorate their houses and streets. |
Mr. Tuyen related that the people in the village were mainly from Ninh Binh in the south in 1954 and then lived together. Mr. Tuyen was one of the first inhabitants of this town.
“In the past, this parishioner was very poor, came here empty-handed as a hired labor and couldn’t afford to celebrate Christmas. In the last 5 years, life has been more stable, so we just started a great organization like many years ago. This year the economy is difficult, we can do as much as we do not dare to do it in a big way, “he said.
Many rock caves began to be framed |
A stone cave has been completed. |
Also selling Christmas decorations in the village, Ms. Dinh Luu Thuy Tien (30 years old) said that in mid-October she started selling decorations, November is full of all kinds. He confided that his grandparents, since they entered the South, have maintained the tradition of Christmas decoration. Every year at the beginning of the Christmas season, customers come to buy decorations, but this year it sells quite slowly.
“This time is almost Christmas, the business has improved, although everyone has difficulties, there are still customers to buy, more or less a lamp to decorate. Have the conditions, buy large decorations or buy smaller decorations to have a Christmas atmosphere, “he said.
“We will try to preserve the tradition”
Most of the caves are made by hand by people from the village, two weeks before Christmas, they begin to prepare.
Rather than decorating themselves, many neighborhood houses were grouped into a group and then worked together. Those who do business will limit the decoration and those who do not sell more decoration, each day working a little more. To save costs, people often take advantage of last year’s items, only the electrical cords are new and the wood and tarps are reused. The cost of a stone cave is around 20-30 million VND.
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“Everyone in the neighborhood is free to help each other. Making a cave takes 3 days, adding decoration takes 4.5 years to complete. Every year we do it so we get used to it. Every year try to refresh yourself. The rock cave I’m making is medium in size, I just made it this morning, maybe a few days to complete. After Christmas, we still leave it until the end of the new calendar year, ”he said.
 Photo: Cao An Bien |
 Saigonese come to register at the parish Photo: Cao An Bien |
“As the epidemic reduces income, many people are unemployed, but they still try to do it because it is a tradition. From the years 2000 – 2001, our place was one of the first areas in Ho Chi Minh City to have a great Christmas decoration, which then spread everywhere. This is also a significant day for us. We hope that the epidemic will pass soon, a peaceful country and that everyone have a happy and happy life, ”said Mr. Dong.
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