In the northern provincesof Nam Dinh, Hoa Binh and Hai Duong, Catholic followers and youngstersflocked to churches and streets to enjoy holy rituals and musicperformances.
While in Kim Son district, the northernprovince of Ninh Binh, Catholics and visitors are streaming into thewell-known stone church of Phat Diem , which is sparkling withthousands of lights.
In the central city of Thanh Hoa, thousandsof Catholics and locals braved the chilly winter temperature to gatheraround dazzling churches and entertainment areas, in anticipation of theChristmas Eve.
Meanwhile, in the central city of Da Nang, asolemn ceremony was held to celebrate the event, expected to bring amerry and warm Christmas to all local parishioners.
In the “cityof thousands of flowers” Da Lat in the Central Highlands province of LamDong, churches and parishes are decked out with lights, pine trees,flowers and decorations, luring tens of thousands of local believers andtourists at home and abroad.
The festival “colours of winter” is also a highlight closing the 2014 National Tourism Year and ringing in the new year.
TheCentral Highlands provinces of Gia Lai and Kon Tum also welcomed largenumbers of revellers coming for shopping and praying.
Resortsand hospitality facilities in Mui Ne, the central province of BinhThuan , offered Christmas and New Year parties as a draw for tourists,with buffets, music shows, dancing and gift-giving. Many of them arepacked to full capacity.
Over 1,500 Russian visitors are there to welcome the holiday, compared to 41,000 foreigners hailing from other countries.
TheChristmas atmosphere is also overwhelming the southern economic hub ofHo Chi Minh City , with streams of people flooding well-decoratedchurches, parishes and streets.-VNA