I will be in Hanoi just after Christmas and I'm looking for a Christmas tree ornament or anything that might potentially be hung on a Christmas tree. I realize that Vietnam might not be the best place to look for Christian holiday things, but I always try to find an ornament on my travels as a present for my mom, and I'm wondering if there is anyplace in Hanoi that someone could point me to? Thanks!

Don't know about Hanoi, but I was in HCMC shortly before Christmas, and the department stores had Christmas decorations up, so the concept is not totally alien. There was also a Christian suburb of HCMC, where the pediment decorations on the houses might be Madonna and child.

About 6% of Vietnamese give their religion as Catholic, and 9% Buddhist (although I got the impression that a greater number than that make Buddhist observances). Presumably HCMC has the greatest concentration of Catholics, but whether their observances, which would have been influenced by the French colonists, stretch to Christmas trees I have no idea. I think the Christmas tree started out as a German custom and only gained popularity in English-speaking countries in the 19th century.

This may be a stretch.....but.

In siem reap I bought loads of straw fishes and stars being sold in the markets for cheap and will hang them on my tree this year along with other straw ornaments I got in Nurnberg several years ago (that weren't so cheap BTW!)

The ones from Cambodia aren't christmas ornaments, per se, but they're gonna be great on my tree!

offwego - Those straw things might be the type of thing that I'm looking for. I will also be headed to Siem Reap on this vacation, so I will look for them. Did they have little loops at the top for easy hanging?

Thanks everyone for your replies. While I'm in Hanoi I guess I will have my best luck looking around the cathedral and department stores.

Yes pebbles they have loops. I think I bought 3 or 4 for a dollar (I can't remember but it was very cheap) and they are simple and beautiful.

You'll see kids sellilng them at the temples and they are all over the old market.