Những giá trị truyền thống của ngày Tết âm lịch tại Việt Nam

Talking about Vietnamese holidays, immediately off the top of my head is the Lunar New Year. Unlike any other occasion, it is the most expected annual event by the Vietnamese, even if they’re are abroad.

The Lunar New Year festival usually starts at the last ten days of January or the first twenty days of February and lasts from 3 to 4 days. Vietnamese people have been celebrating this occasion for thousands of years and have made it an essential part of the Vietnamese culture. Lunar New Year’s Eve is not only a special holiday but also a chance for family gatherings and intimate get-togethers, which is very heartwarming.

Since it is the most important holiday of the year, people pay great attention to everything they do and say during this occasion. Cleaning and decorating the house seems to be a must-do to every Vietnamese families. Buying new clothes, making “Chung” cakes, making offers for the ancestors,  giving out “lucky money”, visiting temples and pagodas… are some of many Tet routines in Vietname that you can usually see during this special occasion.

For me in particular and Vietnamese people all around the world in general, the Lunar New Year has remarkable meanings. It may be the only occasion that all family members can gather and be happy while sharing great news and hoping for better things for the upcoming year.

Even though the modern lifestyle and the fast pace of life are shortening the Lunar New Year holiday, I do not think it will ever disappear as its significance is  engrained far too great in every Vietnamese’s heart .

Regarding national holidays, I would like to talk about the Vietnamese New year which is also known as “Tet”. Tet is a special occasion that is widely celebrated every year in Vietnam. As a matter of fact, it is the country’s most significant and highly anticipated celebration of the year.

Celebrated on the first day of the first month in the Lunar Calendar, Tet is the longest holiday which may last up to 2 weeks. However, due to the increasingly hectic lifestyle of the new generation, this holiday’s timespan is getting shorter each year.

The Vietnamese New Year bears multiple meanings. Not only does it mark the beginning of a new year, but it also carries the hope of driving away the hardships and failure of the previous year and opening a new year filled with good fortune and happiness. Therefore, Vietnamese people will start preparing meticulously to celebrate this festival a few weeks prior to the special day.

One of the most important tasks in the preparation process involves buying apricot flowers and peach flowers to decorate their house of gift them to relatives. They represent Spring and also a brand new start. I remembered me and my mom spending hours wandering in the open market just to look for the right peach flowers to bring home every year at Tet. There is an old saying : “Tet is not Tet if there is no sight of Hoa Mai (south) or Hoa Dao (north) in every home.”

Tet is truly an important yet unforgettable festival for every Vietnamese. As a tradition, we strongly believe that if we spend Tet properly with a smile on our faces, we may expect a more prosperous and favorable year.