I Believe

Whenever Brodard bakery starts to put up their seasonal display of decorative Yule log-shaped cakes, it is Christmas time!

Funny, but that is how I would recall the start of the Christmas holiday season from my childhood memories.

Every year, my dad would take me to a shoe store located on (uprising) Dong Khoi Street, better known as (freedom) Tu Do Street, to pick out a new pair of leather sandal in replacing for the old one of mine that was already worn out from the previous year. With the soles were all eaten up, the old pair looked like a pair of razor blades that are sharp enough to cut through just anything. Thus, I was very happy to try on my new sandal, but not to wear them right away…

After our visit to the shoe store, my dad and I used to take a stroll through the streets of Saigon for "sightseeing" of Christmas decorations on display at local shops, department stores, high rise hotels, fancy restaurants and bars. Many of them had Christmas trees decking the main hall completed with colorful ornaments and blinking lights. As for the rest, the more popular, alternative choice for decorations was star-shaped lanterns. At the Saigon’s Notre-Dame Cathedral, it was there where one can find the biggest and brightest star among them all.

As always, on our way to the cathedral, I often asked my dad to stop over at a branch of Brodard bakery located across from the City Theatre so I could take a look in admiring bánh, Vietnamese for cake, Bûche through the glass store display windows. Since Christmas is more often be referred as Noël in Viet Nam, the Yule log Christmas cake is better known as Bûche de Noël.

On surrounding perimeter of the Notre-Dame Cathedral and the near by Central Post Office, lining up one after another were street shop after street shop busy selling Christmas cards, ornaments and, of course, star-shaped lanterns. Adding to the festive scene of the holiday season were groups of young and old, Christians and non-Christians gathered at the cathedral’s front courtyard enjoying casual conversation with one another.

At the foot of the Peaceful Notre-Dame statue, children were running around the flower garden. Holding in their hands was the big round red-colored balloon tied to a long stick that the balloon stands had it for sell just for the occasion. Others were trying on those pointy red paper hats their parents bought for them. And, pictures were taken by street-side photographers as memories got frozen in frames.

Having been taken inside the cathedral to observe the nativity scene, my dad walked me home leaving behind the busy streets to the Saigon's nightlife as traffics getting heavier.

* * *

Nowadays, things must have changed as I have learned that we now have Santa Clause riding motorbike to deliver Christmas gifts to children at home for a small fee.

With less than 10 percents of Viet Nam's total population is Catholic, it is much less for a Vietnamese family to celebrate traditional Christmas and it is much less for Vietnamese parents to be Santa Clause in bringing out that twinkle in the eyes of their children.

As Christmas services become commercialized, the magical moment has lost its special meaning. Once being a child, I really appreciated what my parents did for me. On this Christmas, I wish that those children would have the same magical experience as I once had.

Every year, I felt in awe of what happened before my eyes on Christmas morning. Santa did not only leave gifts, he even decorated the surrounding!

Having carefully placed at the foot of the bed my new pair of leather sandal on the night before Christmas, I was thankful for the unexpected gifts that Santa had left behind on Christmas Day. Whether it was a wooden truck hauling ton of candies or a lady bug imprinted clear plastic purse filled with chocolates, the lovingly thought of someone who cares was much more important than the material good themselves.

Although all presents did eventually stop after the year I suddenly woke up one night and saw my parents franticly decorated the place, the present of magical experience that they gave was long lasting than that.

Even now, I still believe in Santa Clause!