Hello guys!

Have you ever wondered about a special traditional festival in

Vietnam? Today, I'm going to introduce you to Tet Nguyen Dan - one of the most
important and meaningful holidays in Vietnam. Let's explore what Tet is, when it
usually takes place, what Vietnamese people typically do before and during Tet,
and I'll also share my personal feelings and favorite activities about Tet.
First, What is Tet?
Tet, or Tet Nguyen Dan, is a public holiday to celebrate the Vietnamese lunar new
year, marking the beginning of a new year according to the traditional lunar
calendar. They usually have 10 days off, from Dec 26th to Jan 6th in the lunar
calendar. Tet usually falls in late January or early February. It is a time of
transition, moving from the old year to the new year. It symbolizes a new
beginning, a cycle of time and life, bringing about a new change and setting new
goals for the coming year.

Now that you know what Tet Nguyen Dan is, let's learn more about what
Vietnamese people do to prepare for this special holiday.

Before Tet, Vietnamese people believe that cleaning the house before Tet will help
avoid the bad luck of the old year and welcome a bright new year that will bring
good luck. They usually clean the house, tidy up the garden, and decorate the
house with peach blossoms, apricot blossoms, kumquat trees, chrysanthemums,
and other traditional decorations. But they refrain from sweeping the house,
especially on the first day of Tet, to avoid sweeping away good luck.
Besides cleaning and decorating the house, all Vietnamese people go to local
markets or flower markets to shop for items in preparation for Tet. The markets
become lively with a festive atmosphere, filled with colorful decorations, fresh
flowers. Families often spend time together shopping, selecting the best ingredients
for their traditional dishes, such as Bánh Chưng, nem, and thịt kho tàu, as well as a
lot of types of seeds and candied fruits like watermelon seeds, lotus seeds, candied
ginger, and candied coconut, and much more. They also buy new clothes for
themselves and their children, because it's believed that wearing red and yellow
clothes at Tet will bring good luck and new clothes symbolize a fresh start in the
new year.
Making chung cake is a traditional activity for many Vietnamese families before
the Tet holiday. It is an activity that brings families closer together. They prepare
the ingredients, which are sticky rice, mung beans, and pork. Then, they wrap the
ingredients in green leaves to form square-shaped cakes. Finally, they cook the
cakes in big pots for many hours, and we have a delicious chung cake. Chung cake
symbolizes the earth and making chung cake is not only about creating a delicious
traditional dish but also about spending time together as a family and keeping our
traditions alive.
In addition, preparing offerings is also very important before Tet because
Vietnamese people worship their ancestors. Families choose and arrange fruits,
flowers, and other items on the ancestor altar. The five-fruit tray, often made with
five different colored fruits, brings many good things and a happy life. Incense,
candles, and traditional dishes like Chung cake and Giay cake are also put on the
altar to show respect to their ancestors.
Vietnamese people also worship the Kitchen God on the 23rd of the last month of
the lunar year. They make offerings and pray to send the Kitchen God to heaven.
They ask him to tell the Sky God good things about their family.
Next is what Vietnamese people do during the Tet holiday.
They usually have year-end parties to reflect on the achievements of the past year,
set new goals for the coming year, and relieve the stress after a hard year. After the
party. In Hue, on New Year's Eve, people will gather in large numbers on Phú
Xuân Bridge... Once the clock strikes 12, many big cities hold fireworks displays
at the stroke of midnight. It's a really beautiful and amazing sight that makes
everyone feel happy and excited on the first day of the new year.
According to Vietnamese customs, there's a tradition called 'xông đất,' where the
first footer is believed to bring good luck and happiness to the family for the entire
year. In my family, after watching the fireworks, everyone will return home and,
before entering, choose someone to be the first footer. This first step is believed to
bring luck and happiness to the family throughout the year.
Then, everyone in my family will go to bed early to prepare for the next day. On
the first morning of the new year, we will all dress up in our best clothes and visit
our relatives and neighbors. We will exchange New Year greetings and wishes for
a lucky year. For many people, this is also a chance to go back to their hometown
and have a reunion with family members.
According to the traditions passed down by our ancestors, it was believed that on
New Year's Eve, evil spirits would come out and frighten people. They were
especially worried about young children, as children are often easily scared. To
protect children from these spirits, people started putting money into red envelopes
and placing them next to the children while they slept. This was believed to expel
evil spirits and bring good luck to the children.
To this day, the custom of giving lucky money is not just about giving money. It
also has a deep meaning in our culture. Giving red envelopes shows respect for
elders and love for children. It is a way to wish everyone a happy and peaceful new
year. That's why this custom is still important today. During Tet, we often see
grandparents and parents giving red envelopes to their grandchildren, expressing
their love and hoping for good things for them. Many people also visit fortune
tellers during Tet. They want to know what the future holds. They hope the fortune
teller can give them good advice and help them have a better year.
Through those lively activities, how do I feel when Tet arrives?
I really like Tet. Tet is the time that I likes the most in the year. It's very colorful
and exciting. The fireworks on New Year's Eve are amazing! It's a time to
celebrate and have fun. I feel happy and hopeful for the new year. Also, Tet is a
time to gather with family. I enjoy spending time with my family, saying happy
new year to everyone, and eating delicious food. It's important to gather with
family and make good memories. Tet is also a way for us to respect our country's
cultural traditions.
After I shared my feelings about Tet, I'd like to introduce you to one of my favorite
beautiful Vietnamese customs, although it's not the activity I like the most. It's the
tradition of "khai bút," or writing the first words of the new year. This custom is
about writing meaningful sentences, such as New Year's greetings or wishes for
health, peace, and success in work and study. People often write poems or short
messages. These positive contents inspire and give hope for the new year. It's also
a great chance to review the past year, make resolutions, and show your thanks to
your friends and family. Every year, I pick a good day and time to do Khai Bút. I
write about what happened to me last year, thank my friends and family, and
review my goals from last year. I check what I did well and what I didn't do so
well, and then I make new resolution for this year.

I hope that through this introduction, you have understand a little more about Tet, a
very special holiday in Vietnam., one of the most important and meaningful
holidays in Vietnam. While the way we celebrate Tet might be different in
different places, the most important things are always the same: family, respect for
elders, and wishing for a good future. I think celebrating Tet in person would be
amazing. Thank you for listening.