“I do not even need to check the calendar to know Valentine’s Day is coming,” the Briton says.
“Vietnamese people take this day very seriously.”
Having lived in Vietnam for six years, Thompson still remembers his surprise at seeing chocolates, teddy bears and gifts sold on sidewalks. In the U.K., such items are typically found inside stores. He had assumed a European-origin holiday like Valentine’s Day would not be widely celebrated in Vietnam, but quickly realized he was mistaken.
Two weeks before Feb. 14 advertisements fill shop windows, and cafes and restaurants launch special promotions for couples. “People in Vietnam take Valentine’s Day more seriously than in my home…