A number of urbanites in Ho Chi Minh City took it upon themselves to voluntarily find people living in hardship and hand them food and drinks on Monday night, as a more worthwhile act the city dwellers were able to do on Christmas Eve.

Streets in the southern metropolis were thronged by motorcyclists and pedestrians hanging out on the night before the main celebration of Christmas, which has become popular amongst the general public.

Instead of enjoying the collective festive mood in crowds, many individuals opted to go along small alleys and roads, gave gifts as if they were disguised Santas, and received smiles in return.

One of them was a 43-year-old man named Vo To Phuong, who together with his wife spent nearly VND4 million (US$172) making presents for poverty-stricken people such as the destitute and lottery ticket vendors with physical disabilities that he found on the streets.

Vo To Phuong hands a box of rice and grilled pork to people in difficult situations along Phan Dang Luu Street in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, December 24, 2018. Photo: Tuoi Tre

Vo To Phuong hands a box of rice and grilled pork to people in difficult situations along Phan Dang Luu Street in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, December 24, 2018. Photo: Tuoi Tre

Each gift consisted of a box of rice with grilled pork, a bag of milk and a bottle of drinking water.

Phuong said his daughter used to help people in difficulty this way before she went abroad for study and he initially did this as a substitute for her but later got into the habit of it unknowingly.

“What I’m giving here is just a little bit of good luck for less fortunate people,” Phuong said.

“It’s pretty crowded at entertainment centers and churches at Christmas, so I chose to give presents to make the celebration more useful and feel better.”

A woman wearing a Santa hat gives gifts to a scrap dealer in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, December 24, 2018. Photo: Tuoi Tre

A group of young people headed by 20-year-old Thu Thuy were also doing similar kind deeds, providing rice porridge they cooked to the homeless, lottery street vendors and motorbike taxi drivers.

Nguyen Van Danh, an incapacitated homeless man with no children, said he was given food and drinks by many people but only received just the amount he needed for the day.

Vo To Phuong gives rice, milk and drinking water to a lottery ticket vendor in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, December 24, 2018. Photo: Tuoi Tre

Vo To Phuong hands a box of rice and grilled pork to people in difficult situations along Phan Dang Luu Street in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, December 24, 2018. Photo: Tuoi Tre

A man with a physical disability holds presents from Vo To Phuong while standing on a street in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, December 24, 2018. Photo: Tuoi Tre

Vo To Phuong hands a box of rice and grilled pork to people in difficult situations along Phan Dang Luu Street in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, December 24, 2018. Photo: Tuoi Tre

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