It's Beginning to Look a lot like Christmas(?)

Well, if you consider terrible carols, kids dressed as Santa Claus, and the lines of gawkers outside churches on the 24th Christmas then you belong in Vietnam. They do have one thing going for them. Their nativity scenes are set in a cave, much more historically accurate to our lean-to barn structures.

I have a love-hate relationship with Vietnam Christmas. In America I think we have a rich tradition of Christmas which slowly has been stripped away to mall sales, holiday blockbuster releases, and Christmas muzak pumped through every store and business. But every American knows behind all that utter crap there's something rich (even if you don't believe in the infant Christ, the God incarnate). The average Vietnamese person has been handed these notions that exist with tradition, but doesn't have the tradition to accompany it.

I imagine it's the same as when I celebrate Tết here. I see what's done, I see the mounds and mounds of gift baskets for sale and I hear the "new year" music and see everything going on and I think I understand a good portion of it...but not being Vietnamese I know I'm missing that deep down feeling that I'm sure exists. The same way when I think of Christmas I think of being at home next to the fire feeling greater warmth because of the family surrounding me and especially the profound joy in the nature of Christ.

Here's some pictures of Christmas past in Viet Nam and a special song that I must insist you have.


This is one of my favorite pictures from Viet Nam. I just imagine these poor guys' boss saying "you are going to do the Christmas decorations today, wear these" and handing them the Santa hats. I only imagine that their faces (if you could see them) would rival the Grinch himself.



Our homemade Santa (courtesy of one of Lillian's students last year)


I need to write an article to every Vietnamese newspaper telling them that kids are not allowed to dress up as Santa Claus or Mrs. Claus, I think it violates an international Christmas rule. I think they even had a song about it in one of those old Rankin/Bass Christmas specials.

Speaking of songs, just click this now...that's a demand:

Low - Just Like Christmas
(Buy the CD here)