Christmas in Vietnam is not a public holiday (as of October 2026), so on December 25 offices and public schools open as usual. Even so, on the night of the 24th central Ho Chi Minh City becomes one of the busiest places of the whole year. When I first saw it, I wondered too — why so much excitement for a day that isn’t even a holiday? This guide gathers everything in one place: the 2026 dates and days off, what Christmas Eve looks like, and the gifts and flower etiquette that work well for Vietnamese friends and colleagues.
What do Ho Chi Minh City’s streets look like on December 24?
Once the sun goes down, people and motorbikes pour toward the churches and the big shopping malls. Young people in Santa hats take photos under star-shaped lights, and the squares in front of the churches stay crowded late into the night with worshippers heading to Christmas Eve Mass and those who simply come to watch.
According to a 2017 report in the Korean daily Hankook Ilbo, a ride that normally took 30 minutes by motorbike could stretch to more than 2 hours at Christmas.
In Vietnamese, Christmas is Giáng Sinh — roughly “zang sing” in the north, “yang sing” in Saigon. Noel, borrowed from French, is used as well. For most people it feels less like a religious day and more like a winter festival everyone enjoys together.
Is Christmas a public holiday in Vietnam?
No, it is not. The public holidays set by Vietnam’s Labor Code (2019, Article 112) are Western New Year, Tet (Lunar New Year), the Hung Kings Commemoration Day, April 30, May 1 and National Day — Christmas is not on the list.
There was one change in 2026. The National Assembly established November 24, “Vietnam Culture Day,” as a new paid day off (VnExpress report). So the number of holidays grew by one, but Christmas is still a regular working day.
What are the 2026 Christmas dates and days off?
In 2026, December 24 falls on a Thursday and December 25 on a Friday. Taking Friday the 25th as annual leave gives you three days in a row with the weekend, so trips and get-togethers tend to bunch up around it.
| Date | Day | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| Dec 24 | Thu | Working day. Crowds downtown and around churches from the evening |
| Dec 25 | Fri | Working day. Offices and public schools open as usual |
| Dec 26–27 | Sat–Sun | Weekend |
| Jan 1 | Fri | Western New Year, public holiday |
Here is the timeline Hamy recommends.
- Around December 17 — reserve flowers and gifts
- December 22–23 — deliver gifts to business partners and staff
- Morning of December 24 — flower deliveries for partners and family
- Evening of December 24 — avoid traveling downtown if you can
- January 1 — send your wishes once more with a New Year card
How do Vietnamese people celebrate Christmas?
Catholics make up less than 10% of Vietnam’s population. Christmas still became a big festival thanks to the Catholic influence of the French colonial era, together with a culture of celebrating together regardless of religion.
For the younger generation, it is a day for photos and dates. At companies and among friends, people exchange small gifts or draw names for a gift swap.
What gifts suit staff, business partners and neighbors?
Picture the person receiving it, and the gift almost chooses itself.
| Recipient | Suggested gift | Hamy’s note |
|---|---|---|
| Staff and team members | Snack basket, small bouquet, scented candle | For a group, keep everyone’s gift the same so it feels fair |
| Business partners | Gift basket of fruit, wine or tea | Always include a card with your company name |
| Vietnamese friends or a partner | Red rose bouquet, accessories | A line in Vietnamese on the card is a lovely touch |
| Neighbors and building staff | Box of cookies, small flowers | A modest size keeps it comfortable |
For business partners, something the whole office can share works well, like our Fruit Gift Basket. Please check prices on the product page or ask us on Zalo. And remember that handing a gift over with both hands is the polite way.
Which flowers suit Christmas, and which should you avoid?
The most loved Christmas flowers are red roses and poinsettias. For a Christmas bouquet, red roses are the first thing I recommend too. The poinsettia is called Hoa Trạng Nguyên in Vietnamese — named after the top scholar in the old imperial exams — so it is given as a flower that wishes luck and success.
On the other hand, there are a few things to avoid.
- Chrysanthemums — In Vietnam they are used for funerals and ancestral rites, so leave them out of celebration gifts.
- All-white flowers or black-and-white wrapping — These can feel like mourning. Use white only as an accent, mixed with red and green.
- Sets of four — The number 4 sounds similar to the word for “death,” so some people avoid it.
- Knives or scissors — They can be taken to mean cutting off the relationship.
Interpretations of stem counts vary from source to source, so simply avoiding four stems is enough. The meaning of each flower and the full etiquette are in Vietnam’s flower gift culture and etiquette.
What should you write on the card in Vietnamese?
Any one of the four lines below is all you need.
| Vietnamese | Meaning | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Giáng Sinh an lành | Wishing you a peaceful Christmas | Anyone, including elders |
| Chúc mừng Giáng Sinh | Merry Christmas | Friends and colleagues |
| Chúc anh/chị Giáng Sinh vui vẻ | Have a joyful Christmas | Business partners and senior colleagues |
| Chúc mừng năm mới | Happy New Year | Year-end gift cards |
Anh is used for a man older than you, and chị for a woman older than you.
Where can you feel the Christmas spirit in Ho Chi Minh City?
Tan Dinh Church, with its pink facade, is one of the favorite photo spots on Christmas Eve. Notre-Dame Cathedral in the heart of the city center has been under restoration since 2017. New gilded crosses were raised on its two towers on March 19, 2026, but a Thanh Nien report says the full restoration is likely to run past 2027. It is worth checking before you go.
Everywhere is crowded on the night of the 24th, so if photos are your goal, the evenings of the 22nd and 23rd are much more relaxed.
How do you send Christmas flowers in Ho Chi Minh City?
One thing you learn choosing flowers is that few days have colors as clear as Christmas. For a partner or someone close, I recommend the Red Rose Luxe Bouquet; for a home or office, the Red Luxe Flower Box.
As soon as a bouquet arrives, trim the stem ends at an angle and place them in cool water. Even in Ho Chi Minh City’s heat, the flowers will last much longer.
Orders pile up on the 24th and 25th, so please let us know early, following the timeline above. Delivery areas and the ordering flow are in our Ho Chi Minh City flower delivery guide.
Frequently asked questions
Q. Is Christmas a day off in Vietnam? A. No. December 25 is not a public holiday, so offices and public schools run as normal. Only international schools and some foreign companies close on their own initiative.
Q. Do I need to give Christmas gifts to my Vietnamese staff? A. It isn’t required, but a small snack basket or flowers makes the atmosphere noticeably warmer. For a group, we recommend preparing the same gift for everyone so it feels fair.
Q. What should I avoid as a Christmas gift in Vietnam? A. It is safest to avoid chrysanthemums, all-white flowers or black-and-white wrapping, sets of four, and knives or scissors, because they can bring funerals or a parting of ways to mind.
Q. Can flowers be delivered on Christmas Eve? A. Yes, but the evening of the 24th has the heaviest traffic, so we recommend a morning delivery or delivery on the 23rd. If your date is set, please message us on Zalo in advance.
Q. How do you say Merry Christmas in Vietnamese? A. You say “Chúc mừng Giáng Sinh.” For a slightly more formal wish, use “Giáng Sinh an lành,” which means “wishing you a peaceful Christmas.”
It may not be a public holiday, but Christmas in Vietnam is a lovely day to share a little warmth with the people around you. Picture the person receiving it, and prepare a bunch of red flowers with one line in Vietnamese. If you find it hard to choose, message us on Zalo anytime — or browse our products to see flowers that suit Christmas first.
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