The increasing enthusiasm of young Vietnamese people for global festivals like Christmas and Halloween highlights a tension between cultural openness and the desire to preserve national identity. While the concern over foreign influence is valid, I firmly believe that the adoption of these festivals is a positive, enriching trend that showcases Vietnam’s robust cultural resilience.

For most youth, celebrating these holidays is purely about enjoyment, social connection, and fun. Halloween offers a chance for creative expression through costumes, and Christmas adds a universal sense of warmth and commercial festivity to urban life. These are modern, superficial additions that coexist easily alongside, rather than replace, profound traditional observances.

The bedrock of Vietnamese culture, embodied by enduring festivals such as tết and the Mid-Autumn Festival, is far too strong to be diminished by imported seasonal fun. Rather than viewing this as erosion, we should see it as cultural fluency—a sign that young people are confidently engaging with the wider world while maintaining their core heritage. This ability to absorb and localize global trends is a hallmark of a dynamic, forward-looking society.