HANOI
Earlier this year, to be specific, in February I spent two weeks in Vietnam embracing the vibrancy of the upcoming Lunar New Year as well as spending some quality time with close and far members of the family.
It has been already 4 years since I was last in Vietnam, and the more I get older, the more appreciation and different vision I have of this home country of parents. Being Vietnamese myself, but growing up elsewhere brings a lot of cultural and values mixture. I always wanted to experience the Lunar New Year in Vietnam, as I always travelled during the summer holidays. This year, I had a chance to experience it and here I am, writing my opinion and insights into this joyful celebration.
So what is Tet actually?
Tet is a Lunar New Year celebration that falls on the same day as the Chinese New Year. Usually, it is the end of January or the beginning of February, according to the Lunar Calendar. For Vietnamese people, Tet is the happiest and biggest celebration of the year. It is like a combination of Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year together. Not only the weather was so pleasant during this period, but also the experience of being here, witnessing and celebrating together is such a wonderful experience that I would encourage everybody to try it out!
Tet is shortened from Tet Nguyen Dan, as it is the most important holiday in Vietnam. It marks the arrival of spring, and it is a time to forget about the past and hopes for a better upcoming year.
Preparations for Tet
Preparations for Tet begin two or more weeks before the arrival of the New Year. Houses should be cleaned and everything should be fresh for the new year. People get ready for cooking extensive meals and hosting family reunions.
This is also a time for decorated streets and busy markets, full of lanterns and flags and other decorations for New Year. This is also a season for flowers, so you may see a lot of flower installations and flower markets around. It is popular to buy peach blossoms, kumquat trees or chrysanthemums to decorate your house, as it brings luck and money.
This is a time of excitement and when the city is buzzing with locals and tourists. Enjoy the colourful markets and installations around.
The New Year
On an actual day, if you are in a big city, fireworks are being held in the city centre. Here people would gather around and celebrate together. Big dinners and family visits are also very common on daily basis around this period. It is a joyful moment to be celebrated with beloved ones. In Asian culture, it is also common to gift red envelopes with lucky money to children.
After the New Year, the streets are pretty much empty and quiet, as everybody is enjoying their rest at home. Hence, a lot of restaurants and shops can be closed for several days. Most likely it will be tourists wandering around the empty streets. Make sure to research some places which will be open beforehand or buy some food supplies before it will be shut. However, most likely some small local stores would be still open for business in the city centre.
Overall, the experience of Tet in Vietnam was amazing, it is always a travel value to experience other’s cultural celebrations, right? Make sure to plan your trip beforehand and be respectful to locals. Travelling during this period can be also a bit more expensive than usual, so do your research and book your flights in advance. If interested, below are the dates for next year’s Tet in Vietnam:
Tet in 2020: Saturday, January 25
Tet in 2021: Friday, February 12
Tet in 2022: Tuesday, February 1
