Spend a Few Minutes Starting with Traditional Vietnamese New Year
The Tet holiday marks the beginning of a new year. Tet is not just a time for everyone to gather with family and friends; it also carries profound cultural, historical, and spiritual significance. Since ancient times, Tet has been present in Vietnamese culture and is considered a significant traditional festival. The origin of Tet can be traced back to the legends and ancient traditions of the Vietnamese people. One of the most popular legends is the story of the Jade Emperor and the Fairy of the Upper Forest.
Another legend, according to Prof. Dr. Nguyen Van Huy, Deputy Director of the Center for Research and Development of Cultural Heritage Values of Vietnam, states that Tet is the first and most significant celebration of the year. Tet marks the beginning of a new year and is called NGUYEN DAN. The word "Nguyen" means first. Tet Nguyen Dan is understood as the early morning of the first day of the year. Of course, Tet Nguyen Dan is also considered the grandest festival, marking the end of a four-season cycle and welcoming a new one.
Tet Nguyen Dan, with its profound and solemn significance, bids farewell to the old year and welcomes the new one. It signifies better health, different livelihoods, stronger family happiness, and, starting from the increased agricultural consciousness, spreads widely in the lives of people throughout society while still holding beautiful humanistic values. The Vietnamese believe that Tet Nguyen Dan is an opportunity to deeply express the moral values of remembering one's roots. The value of orientation towards the origin is a spiritual value and also the cherished sentiment of the Vietnamese towards Tet.
Journey through the Customs and Traditions of Traditional Vietnamese New Year
- The Tradition of Cleaning Homes Before Tet in Ancient and Modern Vietnam.
+ The tradition of cleaning and decorating homes before Tet is an age-old practice of the Vietnamese people. Cleaning homes before Tet is considered a way to cleanse and prepare for a fresh start in the new year. The Vietnamese believe that this will bring luck and prosperity to the family. Decorating homes is also an essential part of preparing for Tet. Decorative items such as peach blossoms, colorful flowers and leaves, lanterns, and ancestral altars are carefully arranged to create a warm and inspiring space for the family throughout the Tet holiday.
+ Decorating homes during Tet includes hanging red lanterns with folk patterns. Lanterns are a significant symbol in the cultural and traditional celebration of Tet for the Vietnamese people. Lanterns are hung on the main door and inside the house to bring light and joy to the family during the Tet holiday. They also symbolize the flame that cannot be extinguished. Lanterns are often made of colored paper with rich patterns such as flowers, birds, fish, and symbols of luck, along with branches of apricot blossoms. Hanging lanterns not only make the space sparkling but also symbolize growth and success in the new year.
+ Another tradition is polishing bronze incense burners, cleaning ancestral altars during the traditional Tet holiday of the Vietnamese.
The polishing of bronze incense burners is carried out by the eldest man in the family. They are cleaned with dry white sand, tea leaves to remove stains, and make the bronze shiny. Bronze incense burners come in various shapes and purposes, such as the tip of incense, or a set of bronze cups and bowls. All are collectively called "Bronze Incense Burners."
+ This is a way for the Vietnamese descendants to honor and express deep gratitude to their ancestors, as well as convey meaning. Through polishing bronze incense burners, it is believed to erase the traces of the old year, bringing purity and freshness to the living space. At the same time, cleaning the ancestral altar is also essential, as it helps eliminate old misfortunes, dispel evil spirits, and create conditions for the ancestral souls to visit the family during Tet.
- Custom of preparing the New Year's Eve worship offering feast in Vietnam
The feast of worshiping the New Year's Eve is an important ritual to offer reverence to ancestors and seek blessings for the family in the new year.
+ At the moment of transition between the old and new lunar year, the Vietnamese often prepare the New Year's Eve worship offering feast with traditional dishes. The feast typically includes items like square sticky rice cake (banh chung), cylindrical sticky rice cake (banh tet), roasted pork, steamed carp, boiled chicken, and various vegetables. These dishes are carefully prepared and placed on the worship table along with colorful fruits such as kumquats, red apples, and long red peppers symbolizing the Buddha's fingernails to bring good luck. Before starting the offering, family members usually guide the younger generations in performing traditional rituals and explain the significance of these practices.
+ Every traditional Vietnamese family will often prepare the New Year's Eve worship offering feast before welcoming the new year. They will purchase all the necessary ingredients and traditional fruits for the offering feast. During the preparation process, family members work together, sharing stories about their family and traditions. Once ready, the family will sit around the worship table and perform the New Year's Eve worship ritual.
+ Nowadays, after completing the preparation of the worship offering feast, family members gather to watch the Táo Quân program on the central television station VTV, a very popular game show. Elderly women in the family, such as grandmothers or mothers, will arrange and decorate the worship offering feast and altar in the most meticulous way. Through this tradition, families hope to bring luck and success to their homes in the new year.
Shopping for Tet items and Tet gifts is one of the important and traditional tasks of the Vietnamese people during the Tet holiday.
- Shopping for Tet items involves people preparing and buying necessary items to decorate their homes and organize ceremonies during the Tet holiday. This is an opportunity for everyone to participate together in the preparation, creating a lively and festive atmosphere for the family. Tet gifts are also crucial; Vietnamese people often exchange gifts during Tet to express gratitude, respect, and convey the best wishes to each other. Tet gifts can be traditional products such as square sticky rice cakes (bánh chưng), cylindrical sticky rice cakes (bánh tét), candied fruits, wine, or modern gifts like dried or fresh foods, creatively presented. However, the most important aspect is the spirit of the giver and the appreciation from the recipient.
- At Bùi Dish, every year when Tet comes, we always engage together in shopping for Tet items. My daughters and I usually spend the week before Tet preparing flowers, ornamental plants, and decorating our home. The mothers, daughters, and relatives in our family also go shopping for new clothes, shoes, and accessories to wear during Tet. This is an occasion for us to enjoy the Tet atmosphere and create a warm, lively space.
- Additionally, we often exchange homemade traditional Tet gifts. For example, I usually make square sticky rice cakes, candied fruits, pickled sausage with salted vegetables, and rolls of nem (spring rolls) to give to friends and relatives. These gifts not only express our affection but also carry traditional meaning and symbolize abundance and prosperity for our loved ones."
Hoa Đào, hoa Mai - Highlights and Symbols of Traditional Vietnamese Tet
Cherry blossoms, Apricot blossoms, and decorative flowers are highly favored for home decoration during the traditional Tet festival in Vietnam.
- Regarded as symbols of luck, red cherry blossoms in the North symbolize strength, independence, and resilience. The color red also carries meanings of love and good fortune. In Northern culture, red cherry blossoms are often used to decorate during festive occasions, especially during the Lunar New Year, when every Northern family usually has them in their homes to bring luck and prosperity. According to the Eastern - Quang Minh cultural center, Tet belongs to the Wood element, and red cherry blossoms, substituting for Fire, when encountered in spring, always imply good luck and endurance. No other flower is more suitable than the cherry blossom as a symbol for Northern Tet.
- What about the South? Yellow Apricot blossoms hold special meanings and beliefs in the traditional culture of Southern Vietnam, especially during Tet. Yellow Apricot blossoms are often chosen for decorating homes and parks during Tet to create a joyful, fresh, and lively atmosphere for families.
- Yellow Apricot blossoms represent wealth, prosperity, and abundance. The color yellow symbolizes wealth, akin to the color of gold, signifying luck and fortune. A house adorned with yellow Apricot blossoms will bring a warm, happy space and good luck to the homeowners.
- Many people in the South decorate their homes with yellow Apricot blossoms. They place pots of yellow Apricot blossoms at the main entrance, in the yard, or on the balcony to create focal points for their living space. Additionally, yellow Apricot blossoms are often displayed in public parks and gardens to create a lively and joyful atmosphere during Tet. In summary, while Cherry blossoms carry a deep traditional and solemn style, with a sense of precise ceremony, Apricot blossoms bring a fresh, creative, and dynamic vibe. A country with so many elements like this can undoubtedly prosper, embodying the Vietnamese cultural belief in Tet.
- Furthermore, with their vibrant colors and gentle fragrances, bright flowers like Chrysanthemums, Purple Violets, Marigolds, and Tuberoses also bring both solemnity and joy to living spaces. Thanks to their diversity in colors and shapes, these decorative flowers collectively contribute to a warm and beautiful atmosphere for families during Tet.
Preparing for the New Year's Eve ceremony - Listening to the Vietnamese talk about traditional Tet
The preparations and enjoyment of the New Year's Eve meal and the ceremony of offering to the Kitchen Gods are two traditional activities for Vietnamese people at the end of the year. The most important meal of the year is eagerly awaited by everyone (every Vietnamese person away from home looks forward to returning).
- Enjoying the New Year's Eve meal also holds significant importance in Vietnamese culture. This meal is not only an occasion for family reunions and enjoying delicious dishes but also a time for family members to talk, share, and reflect on what they have achieved in the past year.
- For the Kitchen Gods' offering ceremony, preparations may include arranging various dishes and sacred items such as "gold paper." Families with better conditions may have more elaborate offerings, while those with fewer resources can adapt based on their financial ability or simply offer heartfelt gestures. The New Year's Eve ceremony is one of the most important events of the year, marking the transition from the old year to the new. During the ceremony, people usually offer prayers to their ancestors and the local deities overseeing their homes and workplaces, wishing for a peaceful and successful new year.
- So, what about the traditional New Year's Eve ceremony at Bùi Dish's home? I will clean the house, decorate with branches of cherry blossoms from Nhật Tân – I truly appreciate the 'Fading Cherry Blossom' type with large, sparse petals, as they possess a simple yet elegant beauty. Traditional dishes like square-shaped Chung cake and boiled chicken cannot be omitted. The square shape of Chung cake represents the Earth, and the rounded chicken symbolizes the circular sky, implying a desire for everything to be smooth and harmonious throughout the year. I will also prepare live boiled chicken with a rose flower in its beak. This not only enhances the aesthetics of the dish but also signifies respect and expresses gratitude, recognizing the importance of future generations to what life brings.
If you want to learn more about Tet in Vietnam, especially the Tet of Hanoians, there are countless customs, rituals, objects, and cultural stories that Bùi Dish will be happy to share with you every day at our home."
New Year's welcoming ritual - Traditional Vietnamese New Year Rituals and Beautiful Emotions
New Year's welcoming ritual, or the ritual of welcoming the New Year's Eve, is one of the significant traditional ceremonies for the Vietnamese people. This is the time when Vietnamese citizens welcome the upcoming new year and bid farewell to the old one. During this ritual, people often gather at temples, pagodas, or public areas to pray, light incense, and perform Buddhist rituals to wish for a peaceful and fortunate new year. Later, when the clock strikes midnight, the government usually sets off fireworks to celebrate the new year. Fireworks, a long-standing tradition, are considered a way to ward off evil spirits, bringing luck and prosperity to both families and communities. Typically organized in major cities and public spaces such as parks, riverbanks, or shopping centers, the fireworks display serves as a grand celebration for the entire population at the first moment of the new year. Every year, organizing fireworks on New Year's Eve has become an anticipated event, attracting the attention of a large number of people, and the locations for the display continue to expand.
Specifically, in Hanoi, the capital city of Vietnam, the New Year's Eve fireworks event has become a highly anticipated and significant occasion. Popular locations for organizing fireworks include the area around Hoan Kiem Lake, Thong Nhat Park, My Dinh Stadium, Hoang Cau Lake, and neighboring districts. People and tourists often gather at these locations to witness the impressive and traditional fireworks display. This not only brings joy and excitement to the citizens but also attracts a large number of tourists from everywhere to participate and experience the traditional cultural beauty of the Vietnamese people during Tet Nguyen Dan, or the Lunar New Year. Functional units and organizations in the city, such as local authorities and event organizing companies, are responsible for organizing these fireworks, ensuring safety and creating a splendid and memorable fireworks display.
After attending the fireworks event, there are customary practices such as visiting pagodas to light incense for family blessings, buying salt, rice, and bringing lucky plants into homes during the Tet days. Stay and seek out local families to immerse yourself in the Tet atmosphere for a complete and unforgettable journey.
Cultural Beauties in the First Days of the New Year - If you don't experience traditional Vietnamese Tet now, you will regret it later.
- Many cultural beauties are expressed and passed down through generations. One of these beauties is the tradition of exchanging New Year's greetings and giving lucky money. New Year's greetings are a traditional gesture to express respect, good wishes, and beautiful feelings. Adults extend New Year's wishes to parents, grandparents, relatives, and friends, while children extend wishes to adults in the family. This action not only carries emotional significance but also represents gratitude and hopes for a lucky and successful new year. "Li xi" (giving lucky money in a brightly colored envelope) is an essential part of New Year's greetings, involving the exchange of money as a wish for good fortune (the amount is not crucial). This also demonstrates care and concern for each other within the family and society. If you are the first person to visit someone's home on the first day of the new year, the gesture of congratulations with "Li Xi" signifies that wealth and success will come to the homeowner throughout the year.
- Another important activity during Tet is visiting and giving New Year's wishes to relatives and friends. This is the time when people have the opportunity to meet and chat after a year of work. These gatherings hold the meaning of building and strengthening family bonds. The Vietnamese often have the saying "Uong nuoc nho nguon" (When drinking water, remember its source), emphasizing the importance of family relationships for the Vietnamese people, while also recalling beautiful and interesting memories.
- Additionally, during the Tet days, people participate in various entertaining activities. It could be playing traditional folk games such as fireworks, horse racing chess, "Tam Cúc" chess, "Ô Ăn Quan" (a traditional Vietnamese game), or engaging in modern activities such as singing and dancing. These activities not only bring joy and relaxation but also create an exciting and festive atmosphere within families and communities.
Tet Cuisine - Why My Traditional Vietnamese Tet is Better than Yours:
Tet Cuisine of Northern Vietnam - Characterized by Delicacy, Elegance, and Emphasis on Flavors
On Tet days, Northern Vietnamese dishes are typically prepared with simplicity yet sophistication, honoring the deliciousness of each main ingredient. The Tet menu of Northern Vietnam usually includes traditional dishes such as banh chung (square sticky rice cake), banh day (round glutinous rice cake), fried spring rolls, crab soup, pickled meat, boiled chicken, and dried beef salad, among many other delicious dishes.
Representative dishes in Tet Cuisine of Northern Vietnam, such as:
- Banh chung: Symbol of the traditional Tet, expressing gratitude to ancestors.
- Thit kho tau: Signifying abundance and plenty.
- Fried spring rolls: Crispy and golden, symbolizing good luck.
- Bamboo shoot soup: Fresh and elegant, expressing wishes for a peaceful new year.
- Red sticky rice (Xoi Gac) – less known to tourists, but its significance is: it is sweet sticky rice, the color red represents luck and prosperity. Xoi Gac - made from Gac fruit - a bright red, round, spiky fruit. The mild sweetness combined with salty dishes is harmonious in taste. The red color of Xoi Gac is considered a symbol of luck and prosperity in Vietnamese culture. It is believed that eating Xoi Gac brings luck and attracts prosperity to the consumer. In Vietnamese culture, Xoi Gac is often prepared and consumed on special occasions such as Tet, weddings, or ceremonies. This is a special and important dish on these occasions, symbolizing prosperity and success in life.
On Tet occasions, Vietnamese people often prepare Xoi Gac to offer to the Kitchen Gods. It is believed that by offering xoi gac to the Kitchen Gods, they will bring luck and prosperity to the family in the new year. This is also a signal that the Tet season has arrived.
- Tet cakes and candies: Diverse, colorful, bringing joy to children.
Tet Cuisine of Central Vietnam - Characterized by Richness, Diversity, and Harmonious Combination of Spicy, Salty, and Sweet Flavors
The characteristic of this cuisine is its richness and diversity in preparation and seasoning.
The dishes in Tet Central Vietnam are often a harmonious combination of spicy, salty, and sweet flavors, creating a multi-colored palette for the meal.
One of the popular and characteristic dishes on Tet days in Central Vietnam is "Banh Ít" (sticky rice dumplings). “Banh Ít” is made from glutinous rice flour, similar to the square sticky rice cake of Northern Vietnam, but it is round and filled with pork and mung beans. The cake is then shaped into a cylindrical form, long and boiled until cooked. When eaten, people usually cut slices about 2cm thick, served with a dipping sauce made from sweet and sour fish sauce with a bit of spiciness from chili. The combination of the sweet taste of glutinous rice, the salty taste of the filling, and the spicy and sour taste of fish sauce creates the unique and attractive flavor of the banh it in Central Vietnam.
Representative dishes in Tet Cuisine of Central Vietnam, such as:
- Banh tet: Similar to banh chung but cylindrical in shape.
- Fried shrimp and pork rolls: A distinctive dish of Hue, with a delicious and unique flavor.
- Bun bo Hue: A specialty of Hue, with a rich broth and many toppings.
- Hue fermented pork rolls: A traditional and unique dish made from pig ears, pork, and rice bran...
- Mixed jackfruit salad: A popular snack, with a sweet and sour taste, slightly spicy.
Tet Cuisine of Southern Vietnam - Characterized by a Harmonious Blend of Salty and Sweet, Using Many Ingredients from Rivers and Lakes
Southern Tet Cuisine is characterized by dishes that harmoniously combine salty and sweet flavors, using many special ingredients from rivers and lakes and benefiting from the year-round hot climate. In Southern cuisine. Some typical dishes in Tet Cuisine of Southern Vietnam are braised fish, bitter melon, coconut, crab stir-fried with lemongrass and chili, steamed snails with lime leaves, or squid braised in tamarind sauce, all with unique and attractive flavors. Thanks to the clever combination of ingredients and spices, these dishes bring a delicious, rich, and harmonious taste. Southern cuisine not only features unique flavors but also demonstrates diversity in the way dishes are prepared and presented.
Representative dishes in Tet Cuisine of Southern Vietnam, such as:
- Banh tet: Similar to Banh Chung but cylindrical in shape.
- Braised fish in a clay pot: Braising pork belly with coconut water, eggs, fish sauce, and sugar.
- Bitter melon soup: Symbolizing the wish to overcome difficulties, welcoming a safe new year.
- Banana leaf-wrapped Tet cake: Tet cake wrapped in banana leaves, with a unique fragrance.
- Chinese sausage: A dish made from pork, with a salty-sweet taste, fatty and crispy.
Culture and Perspectives on Traditional Vietnamese New Year (Tet)
Perspectives of Eastern Culture Experts - Listening to Vietnamese People Talk about Traditional Tet
- Culture is an essential aspect of the life of every nation, region, and locality. It encompasses not only artistic culture but also values, beliefs, and traditional customs. Vietnamese culture has been shaped and developed over thousands of years, and the traditional Tet (Lunar New Year) is an indispensable part of it. Tet, also known as Tet Nguyen Dan or Traditional Tet, is one of the biggest annual celebrations for the Vietnamese people.
- Traditional Tet is a time for people to pause their daily activities and enjoy moments of family reunion. It is a time for children living far from home to return and gather with their families. Families often organize year-end parties and prepare traditional foods to welcome the new year. During this holiday, Vietnamese people also participate in traditional cultural activities such as taking photos, playing folk games, and engaging in community events and large-scale celebrations.
- From the perspective of Eastern culture experts, Traditional Tet in Vietnam carries special values. It is not only an occasion to commemorate and welcome the new year but also an opportunity to honor ancestors and foster unity within the family. Traditional Tet in Vietnam reflects cultural and spiritual values such as gratitude, sharing, and family love.
Why is My Traditional Tet in Vietnam Better than Yours?
- Vietnamese Tet and the Tet of other countries in the region share similarities and differences in customs, cuisine, and rituals. Although they all belong to the Southeast Asian region, each country has unique characteristics in organizing and commemorating Tet.
- In terms of customs and traditions, Vietnamese Tet and Tet in other regional countries are both occasions for family reunions and gatherings. In both types of Tet, people often have the tradition of giving and receiving lucky money (li xi) and gifts to celebrate the new year. However, each country has its own customs in organizing Tet. For example, in Vietnam, people often decorate their homes with apricot blossoms, peach blossoms, and symbolic fruits for prosperity and luck. Meanwhile, in some other countries like Thailand, people may build Buddhist shrines for religious ceremonies during Tet.
- Regarding cuisine, there are also differences between Vietnamese Tet and Tet in other regional countries. In Vietnamese Tet, the family dining table is usually adorned with beautifully arranged traditional dishes such as square sticky rice cakes (Banh Chung), cylindrical glutinous rice cakes (Banh Tet), fried spring rolls (Nem Ran), and red sticky rice (Xoi Gac). On the other hand, in some other countries like Indonesia, people often prepare instant noodles, buns, or vegetarian dishes for Tet ceremonies.
Closing Words
Tet is a time for us to meet, talk, and share joy with family and friends. Every year, on this occasion, Bui Dish, like many Vietnamese, looks forward to being with grandparents, parents, and siblings. Tet is not only a time to relax after a year of hard work but also an opportunity to appreciate family values and cultural traditions. Tet is also a time to prepare traditional dishes such as Banh Chung, Tanh Tet, and Thit Kho To, for the whole family to enjoy together.
Why did Bui Dish choose the first article to be about Tet to send to dear readers?
Bui Dish chose the first article about Tet to send to its beloved readers worldwide because Tet is a special and meaningful occasion in Vietnamese culture. On Tet days, not only people but also the heavens and the earth open their hearts, filled with a joyful atmosphere. Generally, there is no reason why we shouldn't live 365 days a year like Tet with friends from diverse and multicultural international backgrounds. Tet also provides Bui Dish with an opportunity to relive childhood, enjoy tranquility, and preserve memories of mom. Finally, I want to contribute my humble energy to keeping the traditional cuisine of Hanoi tied to Tet as a part of Vietnam's important cultural history.
Sending wishes from Bui Dish - Nomi Bui to the readers.
- Bui Dish - Nomi sends the most beautiful and meaningful wishes to all of you. Wishing you all good health, happiness, and success in life. Always strive and never give up on your dreams. For us, sending these wishes is not only a tradition but also a way to express gratitude and care to everyone. We hope that these wishes bring joy and luck to everyone.
- Bui Dish hopes for the opportunity to meet and make friends with all of you. Together, we can create many memorable moments, share culture, and love. I believe that through interacting with each other, we will understand and appreciate the diversity of countries and people around the world. This is an opportunity for us to learn and expand our knowledge about different cultures. Besides, we can also share love and care for each other, creating a positive and harmonious interactive environment.
We can enjoy traditional dishes of ancient Hanoi together. Through sharing these meals, we can not only learn about each other's culture and cuisine but also create more connections and memorable moments.
Lots of love to you all!