Vietnamese Art as a Gift: Prints, Dó Paper Cards, and Handicrafts

Finding a truly original gift is one of the most frustrating challenges of our time. Between online marketplaces offering the same items and souvenir shops selling only generic products, it has become difficult to give something that is both beautiful, meaningful, and genuinely unique. Vietnamese folk prints and dó paper creations from Viet Art meet this expectation with an elegance that few other gifts can match.

Why give a Vietnamese print?

Giving a Đông Hồ, Hàng Trống, or Kim Hoàng print is giving several things at once.

An authentic work of art. Each print is handmade by artisans whose savoir-faire has been passed down for five hundred years. It is not an industrial reproduction or an imitation: it is a true piece of folk art, carrying all the uniqueness of a human touch.

A carefully chosen symbol. Unlike a bouquet of flowers or a bottle of wine, a Vietnamese print is chosen for what it signifies. Giving a Mã Đáo Thành Công (Horse of Success) for a promotion, a Vinh Hoa / Phú Quý for a birth, a Lý Ngư Vọng Nguyệt (Carp and the Moon) for an ambitious student — it is saying something specific to the person you love. It is a gift that speaks volumes.

Support for an endangered heritage. Every print purchased from Viet Art directly contributes to the economic survival of the last artisans who practice these techniques under traditional conditions. UNESCO classified the Đông Hồ tradition as urgent in 2025 precisely because the lack of economic demand threatens its disappearance. Your purchase is also a cultural act.

A lasting object. The dó paper coated with bột điệp is naturally resistant and can last for decades without deteriorating if proper precautions are observed. Unlike flowers that wilt or chocolates that are consumed, a print is a gift that remains.

Prints for every occasion

For a birth or baptism: Vinh Hoa (Child with Rooster) and Phú Quý (Child with Duck) are the quintessential birth gifts in Vietnamese tradition. These two prints wish glory, virtue, and prosperity to the newborn. Offered as a framed diptych, they make a gift that is both beautiful and meaningful, often hung by parents in the child's room.

For a wedding: Vinh Quy Bái Tổ (The Glorious Return) celebrates success and family pride. A print of swans or paired birds from the Hàng Trống repertoire symbolizes marital fidelity and the longevity of the couple.

For a promotion or new professional start: the Mã Đáo Thành Công (Horse of Success) is a must-have. The Lý Ngư Vọng Nguyệt (Carp and the Moon) is more subtle and poetic — perfect for someone who appreciates symbolic depth.

For retirement or an important anniversary: prints representing longevity (thọ) or wisdom from the Hàng Trống repertoire are perfectly suited. These compositions, more elaborate and pictorial than Đông Hồ prints, have the seriousness and beauty befitting a significant life occasion.

For end-of-year holidays or New Year: all Đông Hồ prints were originally designed for Tết (Vietnamese Lunar New Year), but their universal symbolism makes them suitable for any celebration. The Táo Quân (Kitchen God) is particularly appropriate for wishing happiness and protection to a beloved family.

Dó paper cards: a gift within a gift

Not all budgets allow for a framed print. That's why Viet Art has developed a range of cards printed on genuine dó paper — an intermediate product that combines the authenticity of traditional material with the practicality of a card format.

These cards are hand-printed on authentic, light, and flexible dó paper, with a slightly textured and pearlescent surface. They reproduce the most emblematic motifs of Đông Hồ and Kim Hoàng prints — the Carp and the Moon, the Horse of Success, the Pig Family, the Child with Rooster — in a format that can be mailed, slipped into a book, or framed as a mini-print.

For a wedding: imagine invitations printed on dó paper with a Vinh Hoa motif or a Hàng Trống lotus motif. The effect is one of absolute elegance — your guests will hold something unforgettable in their hands from the very first contact.

For Christmas or New Year: our dó paper greeting cards are an original alternative to ordinary coated paper cards. They immediately stand out in a stack of mail and are likely to be framed rather than discarded.

For businesses: offering your clients or partners a card or a small framed piece from the Đông Hồ tradition is a memorable way to stand out. It's a corporate gift that goes off the beaten path — at once cultural, artisanal, and carrying a beautiful story.

Artisan creations: beyond the print

At Viet Art, we are gradually developing a range of artisanal products that extend the world of folk prints into daily life.

Bookmarks and small formats on dó paper, ideal for book lovers. Stationery sets — matching envelopes and sheets — in plain or lightly tinted dó paper, for correspondence that stands out. Handmade creations combining dó paper with folding or artisanal binding techniques, for truly unique gifts.

We also work with Vietnamese artisans on creative collaborations combining traditional print motifs with other mediums — textiles, ceramics, decorative objects — respecting the original spirit and aesthetics.

Giving with Viet Art: our commitment

At Viet Art, each order is carefully prepared and shipped in protective rigid packaging. Each piece is accompanied by an explanatory note describing the artwork — its Vietnamese title, its symbolism, its manufacturing technique, and the history of the tradition to which it belongs. This note transforms each gift into a complete cultural experience.

We deliver throughout Europe, with shipping times adapted to each occasion. For urgent orders or custom projects (invitations, corporate gifts in large quantities), please do not hesitate to contact us directly via our contact form on vietart.eu.

Giving art is giving time — the time an artisan took to create this piece, the time the recipient will take to contemplate it, and the time this work will endure in their life. This is perhaps the simplest and most beautiful definition of a wonderful gift.