Notre Dame Cathedral turns into 'castle of light', many people excitedly welcome Christmas early

As scheduled, every time Christmas is approaching, Notre Dame Cathedral becomes a familiar meeting place for locals and tourists who want to immerse themselves in the Christmas atmosphere . And this year is no exception, the entire exterior of the church is covered with many yellow lights, making the building stand out brilliantly.

Notre Dame Cathedral is brightly lit for Christmas. PHOTO: THAO PHUONG

The church glows in the dark with a dense system of decorative lights. PHOTO: THAO PHUONG

According to our observations, although it was a Monday evening, the area in front of Notre Dame Cathedral was still very bustling. People were pouring in non-stop, groups of young people, families and even foreign tourists strolling under the bright lights, creating a joyful and warm atmosphere.

This is the first time I have experienced this atmosphere, Tran Nhat Lam, a first-year student at Van Lang University in Ho Chi Minh City, could not hide his excitement. “This is the first time I have seen Notre Dame Cathedral lit up like this. It is really beautiful,” Lam shared.

Many young people took the opportunity to come here to enjoy the early Christmas atmosphere. PHOTO: THAO PHUONG

Although it was early in the week, the Notre Dame Cathedral area was very crowded. PHOTO: THAO PHUONG

Lam said that as soon as he heard the church lights were on, he immediately invited his friends to come. “When I went, I was worried that the information was inaccurate, but when I got there, it was worth it. Even though it was the beginning of the week, there were still a lot of people coming here,” Lam said.

Accompanying Lam was Tran Anh Tuyet, a student at the same school. Tuyet said she did not expect Ho Chi Minh City to celebrate Christmas so early, the scene was more bustling than what she had experienced in her hometown.

Bustling atmosphere at Notre Dame Cathedral on the evening of December 1. PHOTO: THAO PHUONG

The entire exterior of the church is covered in shimmering yellow lights. PHOTO: THAO PHUONG

“Every year at Christmas in the countryside, I often go to cafes and churches to take photos. This is the first time I have enjoyed the Christmas atmosphere in the city. The atmosphere is much more crowded and bustling. We come here to sit and drink water and watch the church lights up,” Tuyet said.

The warm yellow color from the lighting system makes the space here bright, the whole street corner turns into an early Christmas picture.

An and her friends went to Notre Dame Cathedral to check in for Christmas early. PHOTO: THAO PHUONG

Although Notre Dame Cathedral has been lit up every year in recent years, this is still a space that many people look forward to every Christmas. Ms. Le Hoai An (32 years old), living in Ho Chi Minh City, said that as soon as she heard that Notre Dame Cathedral was lit up, she invited her friends to come take photos and check in.

Wearing a bright red dress to match the Christmas atmosphere, Ms. An excitedly shared: “I was quite surprised that it was the first day of the week but there were so many people here. The space was very sparkling, highlighting the whole street corner.”

Although Christmas is still more than 3 weeks away, the atmosphere is already bustling. PHOTO: THAO PHUONG

Thuy Van and her daughter check-in in front of Notre Dame Cathedral. PHOTO: THAO PHUONG

In another corner, Nguyen Thuy Van (24 years old), living in Ho Chi Minh City, said that while taking her daughter for a walk, she happened to see the church lit up so she stopped to take a photo. “Although the church has been lit up every Christmas in recent years, I really look forward to this space. I see that this year the church is lit up even more brilliantly than last year. When I came here, I suddenly felt like Christmas was really close,” Van shared.

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