UNIT 7
TẾT HOLIDAY (VIETNAMESE LUNAR NEW YEAR)
PRE-READING TASKS
1. Discuss and answer the following questions.
a. What do you know about the Tết Holiday?
b. What do you usually do during the Tết Holiday?
c. Do you have expectations for the Tết Holiday? Why/Why not?
2. Match each verb with its suitable phrase to create a suitable activity people do during
the Tết Holiday
1. Watch a. lucky money
2. Give b. colorful flower
3. Stay c. relatives
4. Clean d. musical shows
5. Buy e. banh chung
6. Visit f. at home
7. Eat g. conflict
8. Avoid h. the house
READING FOCUS: READING FOR AN ANSWER
Reporters sometimes write an article that begins with an implied or unstated question to which
there is no immediate or obvious response. This type of article piques the curiosity of readers and
encourages them to read carefully to find the answer.
a. Read the title and skim the article. What is the implied question in the article? Write it here.
______________________________________________________________________________
b. What answer to the implied question do you expect to get from the reading text? Write the
answer and the number of the paragraph where you find it.
______________________________________________________________________________
ARTICLE
TẾT HOLIDAY: THE AGE-OLD TRADITION EXPLAINED
Viet Nam and countries around the world are celebrating the Lunar New Year 2024 – Year of the
Dragon. Here’s what you need to know.
Extracted and modified from Vietcetera 17 January 2024
1. Tết is short for “Tết Nguyên Đán,” which translates as “The Feast of the First Morning
of the First Day”. There are three significant components to this date: it marks the beginning of
the New Lunar Year, the start of spring, and the official birthday of everyone in Viet Nam. Tết is
Viet Nam’s biggest celebration and the festivities go beyond the country’s territory. The massive
population of overseas Vietnamese across the globe also joins the yearly occasion.
2. Traditionally, this time of year was one of the few extended breaks between harvest and
the next crop rotation — the perfect time for a celebration. Although it is the most popular holiday
celebration in Viet Nam, much of its rich history remains unknown. From the mysterious Kitchen
God to which food is best for Tết, there is much to digest. As the time has come to bid the water
cat farewell and welcome in the Year of the Wood Dragon, we felt it was high time to break down
what all the excitement is about.
3. Besides wearing Ao Dai and giving out lucky money, Tết is about commemorating the
tradition. One important custom Vietnamese religious practice is Kitchen God Day or Tết Táo
Quân. It may not be as familiar or as big as Tết, but the observance of Tết Táo Quân is just as
significant to the Vietnamese culture.
4. Tết Táo Quân is a tale of three people — Trọng Cao, the husband; Thị Nhi, the wife; and
Phạm Lang, the second husband — who turned into gods after they all died tragically for love.
There are different versions of the legend, but each consistently depicts a story of love, forgiveness,
and sacrifice. It sends out a message that if you follow a life of honesty and goodness, the heavens
will either shower you with rewards or turn you into a god.
5. In the present day, Vietnamese religious believe that every 23rd day of December in the
Lunar New Year (2 February 2024), the three gods would travel up to the heavens to relay
information to the Jade Emperor and pray for prosperity in the coming year. They also believe that
Cao, Nhi, and Lang return to Earth on New Year’s Eve to continue their duties for the rest of the
year. Vietnamese believe the Kitchen Gods’ report to the Jade Emperor will determine their fate in
the coming year.
6. The Tết holiday is all about starting afresh, forgetting about the past, and settling your
debts and disputes. Just like the Western New Year, the aim is to set the tone, and there are many
ways to do that in Viet Nam. This time of year, people are busy gift-giving, spring cleaning,
cooking, and visiting friends and families. If you’re in Viet Nam around this time of year, you’ll
inevitably encounter lucky money, or Li Xi as spoken in the south; in the north, it’s called “tien
mung tuoi”. Instead of stockings stuffed with candy, kids are given red envelopes containing cash
which is always offered as an even number of notes. The color represents fire, symbolizing light,
warmth, sun, and good luck.
7. Cay Neu, also called the New Year Tree or Tết Pole, is similar to a Christmas tree in
many ways. Similar to Christmas trees, there are many ways to decorate them depending on the
region and religion. Vietnamese families would traditionally buy an extremely long bamboo tree
and plant it outside their homes during the days leading up to the new year. Once planted, families
will join together to decorate the tree with lucky red paper and Li Xi envelopes, gongs, bows, and
bells.
8. In addition to luck, red also wards off lurking evil spirits, especially during the seven-
day absence of the Kitchen God. The removal of the tree also serves as an important ceremony
marking the end of Tết. This happens after the seventh day of the Tết holiday. There are three
primary periods that the Vietnamese organize their Tết holiday activities around. The first period
is referred to as Tất Niên. This includes the days leading up to New Year’s Eve. Traditionally, this
time is reserved specifically for family reunions, cooking, and preparing for upcoming celebrations.
9. New Year’s Eve, the most sacred time of the year for many, is called Giao Thừa.
Midnight marks the time that Ông Táo (The Kitchen God) returns from the heavens. Therefore,
the good deeds done over the preceding few days were all in preparation for this moment. Midnight
is also the time to begin praying and lighting incense in the hope that the ancestors will accept the
families’ invitation to enjoy the party. Being present at your family home at midnight is of the
utmost importance. The bigger the celebration, the happier the ancestors will be, and the more
likely they are to return.
10. Once midnight has struck, Tân Niên officially kicks off. Simply put, Tân Niên is the
time that starts at midnight on New Year. Typically, the next three days call for a serious celebration,
although for some, the party even extends to seven days. The first day of the new year is set aside
for visiting the family, starting with the husband’s side. Day two brings a visit to the wife’s family
and friends. Locals refer to the tradition of visiting family and friends as Xông Nhà. The third
official day is a time to show respect toward teachers.
11. Legend claims Bánh Chưng or Bánh Tét, one of the staples of Tết holiday cuisine, was
invented over 2000 years ago by a man named Lang Liêu during the reign of the Hùng Dynasty.
In search of an heir to the throne, the King held a competition to see who could honor his ancestors
through cooking. In order to win, Lang Liêu decided to create his own recipe.
12. After trying the new dishes and understanding the story behind their uniqueness, the
6th Hung King gave lavish praises and handed the throne over to Lang Liêu. Today, Bánh Tét or
Bánh Chưng is made with glutinous rice, mung beans, and pork, then wrapped in Lá Dong (packing
leaves) and slowly cooked for a few hours.
13. Every person in Viet Nam shares the same birthday, and it’s celebrated after midnight
on New Year’s Eve. So, for the Vietnamese community, your age technically doesn’t change on
the day you were born. It changes during the Tết holiday. Another interesting fact about age in Viet
Nam is that when you’re first born, you’re already considered one year old based on the lunar
calendar, as the time spent in the womb counts.
14. Fortune tellers advise business owners about when to reopen. Unlike in the West, deep
consideration is given to how and when to kick off your new year, although some might claim this
is mere superstition. To optimize good luck, it’s not uncommon to refer to a fortune teller to assist
in finding the perfect day to reopen a business in the new year.
15. The karma of your first visitor becomes your own. This is a widespread belief in Viet
Nam, and it is taken very seriously. Most families will choose a successful person to invite to their
homes first to avoid acquiring bad luck. This individual should be level-headed, have strong moral
values, and be a prominent social figure. This is why you should never enter a house on the first
day of the year without being invited in.
UNDERSTANDING THE ARTICLE
Read the summary of the article and correct any mistakes you find. The mistakes are either
grammatical or contextual. There are a total of 8 mistake.
The article explores the significance and traditions of Tết, the most important celebration in
Vietnam. Amidst listed customs like wearing Ao Dai and gifting lucky leaves, the article sheds
light on the lesser-known Tết Táo Quân, a religious practice honoring the Kitchen Goddess and
his story. The Tết holiday, akin to a fresh start, involves diverse activity from gift-giving to spring
cleaning. Dividing Tết into distinct period, it emphasizes the pivotal New Year's Eve and the
subsequent celebration, Tân Niên, spanning three to seven days. Tết cuisine, including Bánh
Chưng, also holds historical roots. Superstitious, such as consulting fortune tellers and contributing
karma to the first visitor, underscore the meticulous planning to minimize luck during Tết.
VOCABULARY WORK
1. Noun and verbs. The same or different? Mark the following V, N or both (VN). If the word
is a verb, write the noun and vice versa. Look at the examples. Note: some words have more than
one noun.
0. interaction (N) - interact 0. wrap (VN)
a. celebrate i. plant
b. underscore j. removal
c. act k. extension
d. gift l. competition
e. invite m. reunite
f. consider n. envelope
g. mark o. decorate
h. symbol p. creation
2. Complete the sentences below with the correct form of the words from Exercise 1.
a. Mai Flower is considered a symbolic _____________ of Tet in Viet Nam’s southern region.
b. Family members, regardless of work, come together for _____________ during Tet.
c. Watching Táo Quân is the _____________ many Vietnamese people look forward to.
d. Based on the tale of Lang Liêu, Bánh Chưng _____________ the Land, while Bánh Dày
_____________ the Sky.
e. Causing conflicts during Tet is _____________ bad luck.
f. During Tet, people use red and yellow themed _____________ for their houses in hopes of
good luck and great health.
EXAM PREPARATION TASKS
1. Words and phrases explanation
Explain the following words and expressions, as used in the article
a. there is much to digest
…………………………………………………………………………………………..
b. starting afresh
…………………………………………………………………………………………..
c. wards off
………………………………………………………………………………………….
d. one of the staples
…………………………………………………………………………………………..
e. mere superstition
…………………………………………………………………………………………..
f. karma
…………………………………………………………………………………………..
2. Comprehension questions
Read the article and answer the following questions
a. What are the important parts of “The Feast of the First Morning of the First Day”
mentioned in the article?
…………………………………………………………………………………………..
…………………………………………………………………………………………..
b. What is the message the tale of Tết Táo Quân send to readers?
…………………………………………………………………………………………..
…………………………………………………………………………………………..
c. Why is Cây Nêu considered similar to the Christmas tree?
…………………………………………………………………………………………..
…………………………………………………………………………………………..
d. Why is the color red commonly used during Tet?
…………………………………………………………………………………………..
…………………………………………………………………………………………..
e. According to the article, what methods do people use to optimize their luck for a new
year?
…………………………………………………………………………………………..
…………………………………………………………………………………………..
f. (Open-ended) Amidst the choice viands made from rare ingredients, why was Lang Liêu
picked as the winner of the competition?
…………………………………………………………………………………………..
…………………………………………………………………………………………..
DISCUSSION PROMPTS
1. Imagine yourself being an adult at your 30s. Would you still look forward to Tet like your
present self? Why/Why not?
2. Recently, some people said that we should abolish Tet and celebrate New Year similar to
western countries. Do you agree or disagree? Why/Why not?
