Merry Christmas, downtown Ho Chi Minh City is packed with people until late at night

In the chilly air, many people in Ho Chi Minh City took advantage of the weekend to enjoy the Christmas atmosphere at entertainment venues in the city center.

Giáng sinh tưng bừng, trung tâm TP.HCM đông nghịt người đến khuya - Ảnh 1. — Ton Duc Thang Street (District 1) at the intersection of Nguyen Hue and Bach Dang Park is packed with vehicles in the early evening - Photo: NHAT XUAN

According to Tuoi Tre Online on the evening of December 22, when the city lights just came on, busy traffic from all directions poured into the central areas that were brightly lit with flowers.

Around 6pm, entertainment spots such as Nguyen Hue walking street, Bach Dang park, Notre Dame Cathedral, Vincom Center... are crowded with families, groups of young people, couples, and foreign tourists enjoying Christmas.

Giáng sinh tưng bừng, trung tâm TP.HCM đông nghịt người đến khuya - Ảnh 2. — Shops on Nguyen Hue Street are sparkling with Christmas colors, attracting customers on weekends - Photo: NHAT XUAN

Leading her little daughter through the crowded crowd on Nguyen Hue walking street (District 1), Ms. Mai Hang (living in Tan Binh district) smiled and reminded her child: "Stay close to mom, or you'll get lost!". The little girl's eyes were bright, her hands tightly holding her Christmas gift - a coloring book with pictures of the hot trend Baby Three characters that her mother bought at a nearby bookstore.

Ms. Hang said: "This year Christmas falls in the middle of the week, and my child is busy with final exams, so I decided to take advantage of the weekend to take him out early. After choosing books, we stopped by his favorite fried chicken shop and then went home."

Meanwhile, Ms. Ngoc Mai’s family (Cu Chi District) chose to go to the city center in the afternoon to avoid traffic jams. Under the canopy of a giant pine tree in front of Diamond Plaza shopping center (District 1), Ms. Mai and her husband took turns adjusting their outfits and shooting angles so that their children could have the best photos.

"Even though I'm busy, I always try to make time for my children to have good memories. Christmas is an occasion for the whole family to relax and enjoy the joy together," she confided.

Giáng sinh tưng bừng, trung tâm TP.HCM đông nghịt người đến khuya - Ảnh 3. — The bookstore on Nguyen Hue Street is crowded with visitors shopping at 7pm - Photo: NHAT XUAN

Giáng sinh tưng bừng, trung tâm TP.HCM đông nghịt người đến khuya - Ảnh 4. — The Baby Three character coloring book attracts the attention of many children - Photo: NHAT XUAN

Giáng sinh tưng bừng, trung tâm TP.HCM đông nghịt người đến khuya - Ảnh 5. — Along the streets, Christmas products such as Santa Claus and colorful toys are displayed on both sides of the road, contributing to the sparkling and bustling atmosphere - Photo: NHAT XUAN

The later it gets, the more crowded the downtown streets become, and the more sparkling the lights from the flower lamps become. The coffee shops and food carts on the sidewalks are also operating at full capacity.

Taking advantage of the weekend, Minh Tan (22 years old) and his close friends dressed in bright red and white outfits, standing out in the festive atmosphere at Notre Dame Cathedral. The sparkling lights combined with the laughter of the young people made the street corner more bustling than ever.

"Every year, our group makes plans to go out on Christmas Eve to enjoy the festive atmosphere. This year, the group intentionally chose the weekend to have some free time and avoid the crowds on Christmas Eve," Tan said.

Tan said that after taking a series of check-in photos, the group walked around the street stalls to eat fried sausages with rice paper. In the bustling Christmas atmosphere of Saigon, they were the happiest pieces that created the special festive atmosphere of the city.