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The youth eagerly prepare for Halloween
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VietNamNet Bridge – Halloween has gained in popularly in Vietnam in the past several years, particularly in big cities like Hanoi and HCM City. Youngsters have been preparing for this event for a week now.

Though he is very busy with studies, Nam, a 10th grader from an international school in District 10, HCM City has stayed up late for several nights to make a mask for the upcoming Halloween competition at his school. This is an annual contest.

“I’ve spent nearly a week with this mask. It is easy to buy a ready-made mask from the market but I want to make one myself,” he said.

While most people choose scary costumes for the Halloween, dressing up as devils and the Deaths, Hoa, a schoolgirl from Hung Vuong High School in HCM City prepares a colorful mask made of chicken feathers and a white coat. She said she wants to disguise as a princess, not a wizard or any scary characters.

Phuong, a 6th grader, from the Asia International School in HCM City participated in a painting contest with Halloween as the topic. She drew a ghost without a head.

Along with the increasing popularity of this Western holiday in Vietnam, the market for Halloween is also booming.

HCM City’s Dam Sen park will organize a Halloween carnival on October 30-31 evenings for students from foreign language and art schools and centres.

Night clubs and cafes in Hanoi and HCM City have announced to hold various activities on the day of Halloween. Some cinemas have also launched new thriller movies to attract the youth.

Hanoi’s streets of Hang Ma, Luong Van Can and Hang Luoc are currently flooded with products for the Halloween, ranging from jewelries to masks and clothes. The prices also vary, from several thousands to hundreds of thousands dong.

A salesman on Hang Ma Street said that the best-sellers are devil masks and wizard dresses. Most of the products are imported from China.

Items for the Halloween are also offered on the Internet.

Ngoc Trang