Vietnamese Lunar New Year or Tet Nguyen Dan, is the most important holiday of Vietnam. Planning the Vietnam Package during this time will allow you to participate in this vibrant festival and learn more about Vietnamese culture and traditions. During this time, you can explore almost everything in Vietnam, its beaches, temples, culture, and the famous Hai Van Pass in Vietnam. Here’s what you should expect while planning your Vietnam trip during this festival.
Why Vietnamese Lunar New Year is Important
The Vietnamese Lunar New Year, or Tet, is the biggest and most important festival in Vietnam.
It’s like a massive family reunion where everyone travels back home to be with their loved ones.
During this time, businesses shut down, and companies give employees time off so they can join in the celebrations.
If someone has to work, they earn three times their regular pay, making it the best-paid work shift of the year.
Tet is all about family and fresh starts. It’s a symbolic holiday where people try to start the new year on a high note.
So, everyone is extra nice, extra happy, and extra careful not to mess things up.
The way people celebrate this festival can vary from one region of Vietnam to another, and each family often has their own unique traditions.
Typically, it lasts for three days: the day before New Year’s Eve, New Year’s Eve itself, and New Year’s Day. But preparations start well before the holiday, and the celebrations can go on for up to a week!
What to Expect During Vietnamese Lunar New Year
1. New Year – New Start
Tet, the Vietnamese Lunar New Year, marks the new year and welcomes spring in northern Vietnam.
This festival is celebrated in Vietnam from the early Vietnamese settlements in the Red River Delta, where Tet was a new cycle of rice farming.
Today, Tet means so much more than just planting rice. It’s a chance for everyone to reset, get a fresh start, and enjoy the company of family and friends.
People clean their houses because it sweeps away bad luck from the past year. Families cook traditional dishes, knowing that eating these foods will bring good fortune.
The kids, meanwhile, eagerly await their red envelopes filled with lucky money. It’s like Christmas and New Year’s rolled into one.
2. Cleaning and Decorating Homes
Being one of the important festivals, Vietnamese Lunar New Year preparation begins a few days prior.
People start by cleaning their homes and decorating their surroundings. It’s a time for fresh starts, so new clothes and haircuts are a must.
Special dishes are cooked, and everything in the house gets clean, even vehicles.
Everywhere you look, you’ll see signs saying ‘Chuc Mung Nam Moi’ (Happy New Year) and homes displaying beautiful kumquat trees or peach blossoms.
The bigger the kumquat tree, the more luck and health it’s supposed to bring.
As the long holiday approaches, the whole country gets wrapped up in the festive spirit. Everyone becomes ready with a smile on their face, ready to welcome the new year.
3. Shopping
It’s Vietnam’s most important festival, so obviously shopping is a must.
Almost a week before the Vietnamese Lunar New Year, the streets and markets become crowded.
You’ll see housewives purchasing decorative items for their homes. Every lunar year is symbolized by a different zodiac animal, and you’ll see these animals on things you purchase like stickers, bracelets, and almost everything.
People also stock up on red envelopes filled with lucky money. These envelopes are traditionally given by elders to the younger generation or by bosses to their employees.
4. Dining: The Most Important Part of the Festival
Preparing food together and enjoying it, is the most important part of the Vietnamese Lunar New Year.
There’s a fun story behind it. The last Hung King, unsure of which son should be the next king, decided to hold a cooking competition.
The son who stood out made two rice cakes, representing heaven and earth. These simple yet meaningful cakes impressed the king so much that he awarded his son the throne.
Today, families all over Vietnam honor this tradition. They spend an entire day enjoying a grand feast together, filled with various dishes.
The dishes vary depending on the region. In the North, you’ll find nem (fried spring rolls), banh chung (sticky rice cake), and a whole-boiled chicken on the table. In the South, the spread includes caramelized pork, bitter melon soup, and chicken salad.
One of the highlights is presenting guests with beautifully packaged candied fruits. It’s a delightful way to share the festive spirit and enjoy some sweet treats together.
There’s one more tradition of people visiting their families and friends on this day to celebrate the festivals with their loved ones.
A traditional Tet dinner is a time for families to come together, share stories from the past year, and enjoy a feast.
Conclusion:
In short, this was a brief explanation of what you should expect if you’re visiting Vietnam during this festival. Vietnamese Lunar New Year, being one of the most important holidays, people from different countries visit Vietnam during this time to engage and learn about the culture and traditions of Vietnamese people.
David Weber is an experienced writer specializing in business and related fields, delivering insightful and informative content for diverse audiences.