Even though Christmas is arguably the most important holiday of the year in the west, it is not a traditional special occasion in Vietnam, at least not in the same way Vietnamese go gaga over Tết.
Catholic communities in Saigon and elsewhere in Vietnam observe this holiday the religious way: praying, attending mass, and, for families with a dramatic flair, creating elaborate nativity scenes to display at home. The rest of Vietnam, however, celebrates Christmas with a mix of western and local customs that mostly center around pretty decorations and gift-giving.
Vietnam considers the evening of December 24 to be the height of Christmas celebration, as it is not officially recognized as a national holiday and everybody goes to work as normal on December 25. Gift exchange often takes place in the same evening, though it is not strictly practiced.
In case you’re still in search of ideas for a little something for a close friend, treasured family member, or even crush, Saigoneer has put together this small gift guide to make the brainstorming a little easier. It is no secret that at Saigoneer, we appreciate local creativity and craftsmanship, which are well-represented in the five brands and items below — each from a prominent category of gifts for the diverse receivers in your life.
1. Fashion & Textile: Easy Bad Work
Khim Đặng in his home studio. Photo by Cao Nhân.
Designer Khim Đặng started Easy Bad Work originally at the insistence of his friends to put his artworks on T-shirts. Khim’s art is detailed, fiercely colored, and takes a lot of inspiration from Vietnamese nature and culture, especially mythical motifs like tigers, phoenixes, and dragons. Specialized in shirts, bandanas, and caps, the brand produces limited small batches that are gone once sold out, so each design is a reflection of the time it was born. While the shirts and caps are generally more accessible, it’s the bandanas that truly showcase Easy Bad Work’s artistry through their intricate strokes and symmetrical visuals that draw you in.
Easybadwork products at LÔCÔ Art Market (right) and Khim Đặng's show “Thả Hổ Về Trời” (left).
Read Saigoneer’s profile of Khim Đặng and Easy Bad Work here.
Contact:
- Website: easybadwork.com
- Instagram: @easybadwork
2. Home Goods: Nắng Ceramics
Photos via Facebook page Nắng Ceramics.
If your giftee is anything like me, who believes that meals eaten on beautiful crockery taste better, they would probably enjoy a choice item or two from Nắng Ceramics. While it’s a relatively young brand, the design philosophy Nắng pursues is closely in line with Lái Thiêu ceramics, a time-honored style originating from Bình Dương. The hand-painted patterns are recognizable enough to not veer too much into minimalism, but are also not too ostentatious to distract you from the beauty of your food. Gladiolus, carp, chrysanthemum, rooster, etc. — the motifs are charmingly rustic, rendered in an elegantly muted palette. I personally own a deep plate and a medium bowl from Nắng Ceramics, and they’re my favorites to create rice bowls in.
Contact:
- Instagram: @nang.ceramic
3. Food & Beverages: Sông Cái Distillery
Photos via Sông Cái Distillery.
Rice wine has tugged on the heartstrings of Vietnamese drinkers for centuries, at times, quite literally. We love gulping down rượu đế to nhậu, but few ever pay too much attention to what went into the making of the drink. Hanoi-based Sông Cái Distillery was founded as an attempt to pay respect to the land and the wonderful produce it has bestowed on us. Their spirits and wines are born of a close relationship with indigenous farmers and species, like sim berries in the Spiced Roselle Gin and Mẩy, an amaro bitters made in collaboration with a partner from the Red Dao ethnic minority. While Sông Cái might not appeal to giftees usually enamored by name brands, their locally made bottles could intrigue drinkers with an open mind who are eager to try out new flavors.
Contact:
- Website: songcaidistillery.com
- Instagram: @songcaidistillery
4. Books: Chu Du Hà Nội by Lê Rin
Images via Thái Hà Books.
Graphic designer and illustrator Lê Rin rose to fame for the first time nearly a decade ago when he published his artbook Việt Nam Miền Ngon, a passion project comprising 100 hand-drawn illustrations of traditional dishes across Vietnam. Since then, it has been reprinted 11 times and remains a popular title for anyone who loves both gorgeous illustrations and eating. Chu Du Hà Nội is the latest title in Lê Rin’s growing portfolio, and this time, he takes readers on a visual journey to the capital. Part travelogue, part artbook, and part cultural exploration — the artbook lends Lê Rin’s intricate watercolor art style with the sights, scenes, and snacks of Hanoi. Buying books as gifts is always a tricky move, as readers tend to have very specific tastes and non-readers might leave the gift forever unread. This artbook is accessible enough to appeal to both.
- Where to get: Bookstores across Vietnam or via the publisher’s website here.
5. Arts & Design: Tò He
Photo via Tò He homepage.
Photos via Tò He homepage.
In a market filled with colorful, vibrant merchandise, Tò He’s products stand out thanks to their humorous, charmingly childlike designs and a meaningful brand vision. Founded in 2006, Tò He is a social enterprise with a mission to help improve the livelihood of disadvantaged children in Vietnam through creativity. They organize free art classes, craft workshops, and vocational training programs for children, whose artworks are digitized and polished by designers to become commercial products for sales. A portion of the revenue is returned to the children as royalties. Tò He’s range of products is eclectic, so finding something for an artistic loved one in your life won’t be difficult.
Contact:
