Celebrating Christmas in 32°C weather in Ho Chi Minh City.

To get Christmas photos that look "as beautiful as those taken in Europe," some young people are willing to spend between 2 and 3.5 million VND for a photoshoot amidst falling snow at Christmas-themed cafes in Ho Chi Minh City.

Amidst the 30-32°C weather of Ho Chi Minh City, these "snow-covered villages" have become popular destinations, bustling with visitors both on weekdays and weekends. Although Christmas is still more than two months away, many cafes have already transformed themselves with dazzling Christmas decorations, filled with lights and artificial snowflakes fluttering in the air.

Traveling nearly 15 km from her home in Binh Dong ward (Ho Chi Minh City), Tam Nhien arrived at a cafe in Tan Thoi Hiep ward (Ho Chi Minh City) at 8 am, just as the cafe opened, to begin her Christmas photoshoot. She said she spent about 2.5 million VND on makeup and two outfits, with the team providing advice on ideas and angles. She rented the outfits for 100,000 VND per outfit per day. "It's inevitable that the cafe is crowded on weekends, but I'm still very happy because I had two friends with me and the team guided me attentively on posing," Nhien shared.

Inspired by snow-covered European villages, the cafe introduced a Christmas concept on September 22nd, while the Mid-Autumn Festival concept was still in place. The highlight attracting young people was the space filled with artificial snow and snow-making machines operating in two time slots: 10-11 am and 7-8 pm, with each cycle lasting 5 minutes. The snowfall in the heart of Ho Chi Minh City became a much-anticipated moment for many to take photos in, experiencing "winter in a tropical land."

Speaking to Tri Thức - Znews , Truong Ngoc Trung (Ho Chi Minh City) said he started taking Christmas photos in mid-October, when many cafes simultaneously changed their concepts after the Mid-Autumn Festival. "I only take 2-3 photo shoots a day, with each client having their own time slot to ensure quality. I usually advise clients to come during the middle of the week to avoid crowds. If the cafe is too crowded, I will choose the shooting angle with the fewest unnecessary details or re-edit the photos in post-production," he said. According to Trung, each photo shoot, including makeup and photography, usually lasts at least 2 hours, costing from 2 million VND per outfit. If a second outfit is added, the cost increases by approximately 500,000 VND per month.

Taking advantage of the weekend, six-year-old Dau and Chuot were taken by their mother to a cafe for an early Christmas photoshoot. Hong Phuong (Tan Thoi Hiep ward, Ho Chi Minh City), Dau's mother, said that every time the cafe changes its decoration concept, she brings her children there to capture new moments. "They're so excited to wear beautiful clothes and go out with their best friends. Even though the cafe is quite crowded, the children are still able to run and jump around freely, and I still manage to 'hunt' for some great photo spots to preserve images of my children when they're young," Phuong shared.

Not far away is a popular photo-op cafe, located in a three-story castle. This year, the cafe chose a Christmas Eve concept with a Christmas tree covered in red ornaments, ribbons, and large bows. The fireplace, crystal chandeliers, and warm yellow lighting create a luxurious, cozy atmosphere, reminiscent of European aristocracy.

In the spacious setting, floor-to-ceiling bookshelves and exquisite reliefs create a classic, elegant backdrop. Amidst this setting, many young people, clad in thick sweaters and scarves, brave the city's 32°C heat to capture their desired Christmas photos. Red and white remain the dominant colors, evoking a vibrant festive atmosphere.

Following a friend's invitation, Pham Tu Linh (Ho Chi Minh City) dressed up and went to this cafe to take Christmas photos: "The space here is quite luxurious, with many photo spots, so even though it was crowded, I easily found a place to pose," Linh shared. She said that the price of around 80,000 VND per item was reasonable, the drinks were decent, nothing too special but enough to relax while waiting for her turn to take photos.

For their first Christmas photoshoot, Kim Yen and Ngoc Duy (from Ho Chi Minh City) spent time researching the restaurant's concept to rent suitable evening wear. Yen recounted that she was initially quite nervous in front of the camera, but after a while, she found a satisfactory angle. "We rented the outfits for about 200,000 VND, and the rest was taken by the people who came along. The restaurant's space was beautiful and meticulously decorated, so everyone could easily get good photos," Yen said.

Located on Hoang Hoa Tham Street, a cafe has been decorating for Christmas since the end of September. A representative from the cafe stated that, due to the warm and festive atmosphere of the space, they decided to skip the Mid-Autumn Festival and start celebrating Christmas early. The small house is filled with warm yellow lights, each corner features a nearly 2-meter-tall Christmas tree, and boxes of gifts are piled up next to a fireplace – creating a cozy feeling like being in a corner of Europe in Ho Chi Minh City.

Tra My ( from Binh Duong ward) said she had planned her Christmas photoshoot and shopping since mid-summer. Initially, she planned to shoot in the afternoon, but heavy rain forced her to postpone it until evening. "I was quite surprised because the cafe was beautifully decorated, with many stunning photo spots, and the drinks were inexpensive, only about 20,000-45,000 VND per item," My said. As one of the earliest Christmas check-in spots in Ho Chi Minh City, it's now less crowded than when it first opened, creating a more pleasant atmosphere for those who want to enjoy the early Christmas spirit.

Source: https://lifestyle.znews.vn/don-noel-giua-troi-32-do-co-tphcm-post1595208.html