Vietnamese Jingle Bells

Real joy was brought to my heart when we left the altogether average Hoi An and flew to Saigon (officially Ho Chi Minh City in the same way that the official name for the Union Jack is the Union Flag). We found a proper department store (the Zen Plaza), and a sushi bar within. I was quite cheered by the prospect of sushi in pleasant surroundings, but what warmed the very core of my soul was hearing all the Christmas songs in Vietnamese. I'd forgotten all about Christmas! Not that I'm actually looking forward to Christmas, of course, but I suddenly realised it was only 20 or so days to go, and this was the first Christmas music I'd heard in 2005! The genius timing of our trip not only avoided England's crappiest weather, but we'd got off totally scot-free on the "Santa Claus is Coming to Town" front too!