Businesses are gearing up for Valentine’s Day which falls on Monday.

The demand for flowers
and gifts to express love will be higher than usual, says the managing director
of The Gioi Hoa Tuoi (Flower World), Nguyen Thi Thuy Vu.

“We don’t have enough
roses to meet demand,” Vu said.

A rose by any other name: People shop for flowers, which are expected to go up in price for Valentine’s Day. (Photo: VNS)

The prices of flowers
at gardens in Da Lat remain high, with a rose in HCM City selling for
VND4,000-6,000, double the usual price. Prices are expected to rise to as high
as VND10,000 (US$0.5) for a single rose this weekend.

Meanwhile, shopping
centres in HCM City are offering discounts and promotions to take advantage of
the holiday buying. Co.op Mart’s Qua tang Tinh yeu (Gift of Love) promotion
features discounts of up to 40 per cent on chocolates, clothing, stuffed toys
and decorative items.

Duong Thi Quynh Trang,
director of public relations for the French-owned supermarket chain Big C, said
its Nhan Doi Hanh phuc (Double Happiness) promotion ran all last week.

Jewellery is a
favourite gift during the Valentine’s Day holiday, and Phu Nhuan Jewellery Joint
Stock Co has launched a collection of gold and silver jewellery featuring new
designs for rings and pendants meant for couples. Prices range from
VND400,000-500,000 ($20-25).

Romantic books have
become increasingly popular with young people every year, and publisher Thoi Dai
has issued such titles as Khong Co Gi Ngoai Rac Roi (Nothing but Trouble) by
Rachel Gibson, Mong Phu Du (Trading up) by Candace Bushnell, and Cau Hoi Tinh
Yeu (A Question of Love) by Isabel Wolff to take advantage of the holidays.

Kim Dong Publishing
House has published collections of short stories by young Vietnamese writers
like Ho Viet Khue and Minh Nhat, while the Nha Nam Communication and Culture Co
has published translations of works by foreign writers such as Guillaume Musso,
Yumoto Kazumi and Jane Green.

For those tired of the
usual chocolates, flowers and jewellery, the Chuyen Tinh Yeu (Love Story), a pop
and dance music tour performed by young star Duc Tuan, will tour HCM City, Can
Tho, Da Lat, Nha Trang and Hue city.

He will perform dozens
of love songs, including Huy Du’s Chuyen Tinh Yeu (Love Story), Tran Le Quynh’s
Tre Mai (Young Forever) and Chan Tinh (Passion) and Pham Dinh Chuong’s Don Xuan
(Welcome Spring).

A series of musical
productions staged and composed by veteran musician Pham Duy will also be part
of the show.

An extravaganza show
for young couples will be staged in Da Lat on Monday night.

In celebration of
Valentine’s Day, the HCM City Television’s monthly music and song programme,
Thay Loi Muon Noi (Speak for Silent Hearts), will be broadcast tomorrow night, Feb 15,
and feature romantic works.

Young singers, dancers
and pop bands such as My Tam, Ha Anh Tuan, Phuong Linh and the band FM will woo
the audience with popular love songs in Vietnamese, English and French.

For theatre lovers,
actors from the HCM City Small Theatre will stage a comedy written by Nguyen
Quoc at 5B Vo Van Tan Street this weekend.

Ly Khac Lynh’s Cuc Yeu
(Too Much Love) centres on the theme: Is love more important than money?

The play features
young performers Hoang Anh and Diem Chau, who will accompany veterans My Uyen
and Thanh Hoang.

For Valentine’s Day,
Cafe Central A Dong Restaurant in HCM City’s Windsor Plaza Hotel will serve a
Western and Asian buffet dinner, with couples to receive a gift from cupid,
according to the hotel’s assistant public relations manager Nguyen Ngoc Han.

Dinner and
kisses

Love songs: To celebrate this year’s Valentine’s Day, pop star Duc Tuan will bring his romance-themed Chuyen Tinh Yeu tour to HCM City, Can Tho, Nha Trang and Hue. — File Photo

Couples could also
enjoy a multi-course set menu at TOTT Bar and Restaurant on the 25th floor while
overlooking the city skyline, Han said.

The Sheraton Sai Gon
Hotel, Sofitel Sai Gon Plaza, New World Sai Gon Hotel, Caravelle Hotel and the
Park Hyatt all have also announced special dinners. Meanwhile, Espressamente
Illy is offering a free tiramisu to customers who spend at least VND200,000
($10) during February 7-19.

Romantic getaways are
also becoming popular with couples.

Saigontourist is
offering a three-day stay at Hon Ngoc Viet for VND16.3 million ($810), a
three-day Da Lat tour for VND10.15 million ($507) and a four-day Da Lat tour
VND6.36 million ($318) per couple.

HCM City-based tour
operator Viettravel will also hold its annual underwater wedding for nine
couples at the Viet Nam Dive Centre in the coastal resort city of Nha Trang on
Valentine’s Day.

About 100 couples are
expected to compete in a marathon kissing festival in the Kisses’ Party at the
Viet Tiep Friendship Cultural Palace in the northern city of Hai Phong on
Sunday. The 10 longest kisses will receive prizes, including a pair of laptops
worth VND15 million.

Contestants must be at
least 18 years old, and over 50 couples had already registered, said Do Minh
Phuong, director of event organiser Golden Trademark Communication Joint Stock
Co.

“The festival is
expected to be an unforgettable moment in the lives of the participants,” Phuong
said. “This is the place where love will be spread and people will express love
and a civil lifestyle.”

For those who prefer
to stay at home for Valentine’s Day, television broadcasters have featured love
stories throughout the week in the countdown to the holiday.

HCM City Television’s
HTV 7 has begun airing the 30-episode Goi Nang (Calling for Sunlight) series in
time for the holiday. Directed by Tran Canh Don, the series focuses on two
foster sisters and two men who battle betrayal, deception and envy before they
find true love. It stars singer Maya, actress Trang Nhung and actors Quang Tuan
and Gia Huy.

Vinh Long TV,
meanwhile, has begun broadcasting the 35-episode series Tinh Nhu Tia Nang (Love
Like Sunlight), directed by Truong Dung. The film tells the story of the love
between a young woman from a rich family and a young composer who helps her
retrieve her inheritance from the clutches of her cruel stepfather. Le Phuong
and actor-singer Nguyen Vu play the lead roles.

Trinh Le Phong’s
30-episode Dem Nguoc Cho Den Ba Muoi (Countdown to 30) tracks the search for
love by three unmarried 30-year-old women who face growing pressures from their
families to marry. The series, to begin on VTV1 on Valentine’s Day, stars Kieu
Oanh, Vi Cam and Chi Trung.

VietNamNet/Viet
Nam News