Women’s Days in Vietnam

In Vietnam, there are actually two special days for women: October 20 (Vietnamese Women’s Day) and March 8 (International Women’s Day). These are very important days for Vietnamese women, and for some men, forgetting them can definitely lead to “big trouble”!

On these days, if you visit shopping malls or go out on the street, you’ll feel a lively and cheerful atmosphere everywhere. You’ll see happy wives holding bouquets of flowers, husbands busy taking photos for their wives, and groups of young women dressed nicely, chatting and laughing together. Just watching them can make you feel happy too.
 As the day approaches, flower vendors appear more frequently on the streets, traffic gets busier, and restaurants and cafés are usually fully booked.

The most common gift is, of course, flowers. Besides that, many people make reservations at nice restaurants or cafés. Giving cash is also an option. There are no strict rules what really matters is the sincerity and the effort to make the woman you care about feel happy.

Once, I saw a group of four male neighbors drinking beer and loudly singing karaoke, shouting: “Today is Women’s Day, so let us sing a song!” Even though there wasn’t a single woman around at that moment… But well, it’s the thought that counts, right?

In Vietnam, I often feel the strong presence of women in daily life. When you ask Vietnamese people, “Who is the most powerful person in your family?”, many of them answer: “My mother.”
 At the same time, you’ll often hear people openly say things like “I love my mom the most” or “My mom’s cooking is the best.”

Not long ago, I asked a question on social media about “the taste of your mother’s cooking,” and I received many long comments from Vietnamese friends sharing memories of their mothers’ dishes. Some even changed their profile photos to pictures of their moms. I also often see people chatting very warmly with their mothers online.

For Vietnamese women, work and money are important, of course, but they care even more about health. They constantly worry about their husbands, boyfriends, or sons, reminding them not to work too hard. They are also willing to listen to small, everyday stories and keep in touch regularly.
In my personal opinion, it’s precisely because women are so loving and caring that men tend to respect and prioritize them. That may be why Women’s Day holds such an important place here.

Once, a Japanese colleague asked a Vietnamese female coworker: “There are two Women’s Days every year, so isn’t there a day for men?”. She replied: “The other 363 days are men’s days.”

When I first came to Vietnam, I thought: “Poor men!”. But Vietnamese people don’t seem to think that way. After living here for nine years, I no longer feel sorry for men at all. Thanks to the strong support from women, the happiness of husbands, boyfriends, and sons is clearly much higher.

Women tend to express their emotions more than men, something we men often lack, right? (I don’t have much experience with women, so I’m not very confident saying this.) Still, emotionally expressive women are always charming.

Vietnamese women are especially like this. What they think often shows clearly on their faces. They are honest, warm, and approachable. If you ever have a chance to be in Vietnam during these days, go outside and enjoy the wonderful atmosphere for yourself!

by Takkun
(This article is written by a Japanese person who loves Vietnam and has spent nine years living and working here.)