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Thuthuy (Jenny) Nguyen

Instructor: Emilie Koenig

English 1B

19 April 2025

“Tết” Holiday: A Significant Vietnamese Culture

Vietnam is a small country, but it is so beautiful. It has a lot of greenery, mountains, and

water. I was born and grew up in this beautiful country until I was 22 years old, and then I left

Vietnam to the United States for my future. Vietnam has many holidays, but one of them is very

important, which most people know about the New Year holiday or Lunar New Year, but in

Vietnam it is called “Tết ”. Every time “Tết” comes, Vietnamese people in general have a feeling

of excitement, joy as if waiting for good things in the new year. I am proud and want to introduce

Tet holiday culture to you. That is why I picked this one to be my project. To learn more about

the “Tet” holiday, I researched the sources about it and interviewed some people who are

members of the Vietnamese community.

Lunar New Year is the traditional “Tet” of the Vietnamese nation, with a strong national

identity, and is the most important holiday in the cultural life of Vietnamese people, customs,

traditional dishes show the beauty of traditional culture, contributing to nurturing the personality,

moral and aesthetic values of Vietnamese people throughout history and it is also a day to reunite

with family, a prime time for families to gather, often returning to their hometowns to be

together.

The Lunar New Year holiday was originally brought to Vietnam, “strongly influenced by

Chinese literature for more than 1000 years of Northern colonization. Lunar New Year was also

one of the cultural features introduced at that time” (Van hoa- van nghe- Nguyen Thi Kim Thuy).
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When the Chinese ruled Vietnam, they also brought their policies, cultures, and traditions. The

Lunar New Year has been passed down to the Vietnamese people and has remained relatively

intact over the centuries, despite the uncomfortable and often hostile relationship between the

two countries.

Lunar New Year, “starts from the 23rd of the Lunar New Year (23rd Tet), lasting until the

seventh day of Tet, in which the first 3 days of the first month belonging to the new year are

considered as the Lunar New Year -“Têt” is the beginning of a new year”, according to Mrs. Ann

Nguyen (in an interview on 24 April, 25). Vietnam is proud of having a unified and diverse

culture in the community of Vietnamese ethnic groups. National cultural identity is diversely

expressed in everyday life, but most clearly through the cultural activities and practices of

individuals and communities associated with historical and political events of the nation and

country. Lunar New Year is the clearest expression of national cultural identity. “Tết” is like a

quiet time for old memories to come back, for each person to remember the beautiful memories

of childhood, remember the difficult journeys, sad and happy memories, their beautiful days, of

their families and villages. Therefore, “Tết” is a bond, connecting the past with the present,

between individuals and communities; it is a journey of time, helping people return to their roots.

“Tết” is welcoming Spring. Spring is the beginning of a new year - one of the most

beautiful seasons of the year, the season of proliferation, flourishing, heaven and earth, and

human hearts in harmony. Welcoming “Tết” is a cultural activity of Vietnamese people once a

year, associated with the steps of human life right from birth, growth, and maturity. “Tết” is also

a time to say goodbye to the old year and welcome the new year. “Tết” is like the door of time to

close an old year, close the troubles, bad luck, and at the same time open to welcome a new year

with the best things, with many beliefs and hopes for a peaceful, lucky, and successful new year.
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“Tết” is also an occasion for each individual to gain more knowledge, experience with parents,

customs, traditional cultural beauties, moral lessons, and how to treat people through cultural

practice experiences with grandparents, parents, and relatives.

Every year, “Tết” is celebrated on the 1st day of the first lunar month throughout

Vietnam and in some other countries where the Vietnamese community lives. In “Tết”,

Vietnamese people often buy peach and kumquat trees in the North, North Central, apricot and

watermelon in the South Central, and South is an indispensable preparation in the days bordering

“Tết”. After that, during “Tết” holidays, families gather together, visit relatives, say

congratulations, celebrate their age and worship their ancestors. Ancestral worship activities

always take place during “Tết” holidays, combined with traditional dishes such as jam, melon

seeds, pumpkin seeds, “bánh chung”, and “bánh tét ”. According to Mrs. Mindy Nguyen “ bánh

tét và bánh chưng, thịt kho tàu, dưa giá, khổ qua…là món đặc trưng của Tết Việt Nam tất cả mọi

gia đình không thể thiếu món ăn này ” (trans- ENG: “bánh tét ” and “bánh chưng ”, braised meat

with eggs, pickled chives, stewed bitter melon… are typical dishes of Vietnamese “Tết” that all

families can not do without) (in interview on 22 April, 25), watermelon, silk pork, stir-fried pork,

bamboo shoot soup, ... are indispensable dishes in Vietnamese “Tết” holidays.

Vietnamese people believe that on the “Tết” holiday, everything must be very early and

new. Therefore, more than 2 weeks before “Tết”, families have prepared for “Tết”, according to

the sharing of Mrs Ann Nguyen ( by Vietnamese) “sơn nhà như mới, quét dọn bàn thờ, giặt giũ

màn cửa…” (by Eng- “Paint the house like new, Clean the altar, wash the curtains…”). Families

often clean, decorate the house, buy flowers, and buy food very thoughtfully for the “Tết”

holiday. In addition, all unnecessary items or those believed to bring bad omens are also thrown

away. Before “Tết”, they shop for some items in advance, including fresh fruits, chicken,
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sausage, bamboo shoots, and other offerings. One of the most exciting “Tết” holiday traditions

is” Shopping for new items, gifts, and new clothes for the holiday” (Vinpearl,

28/10/2024.34.405). Most of the children are happier because they can wear new clothes during

the “Tết” days.

The official preparation for “Tết” for Vietnamese people usually starts from the 23rd of

December, the day when Vietnamese families worship Mr. Tao (Tao Quan). From the

Vietnamese point of view, Mr. Tao is both the kitchen god in the house and the one who records

all the good and bad deeds that people have done in the old year and reports to the King in

heaven (Ngoc Hoang) the good and bad problems of the owner. Mr. Tao is worshipped at noon or

in the afternoon of the 23rd day of the lunar month every year. The offering ceremony includes

incense, candles, fruits, votive gold, and two men's hats, a woman's hat with three carp (real carp

or paper carp with a hat). According to Mr. Tao's story, carp will take Mr. Tao through the heaven

gate to go to Heaven (thien dinh) to meet the king (Ngoc Hoang). Mrs. Ann Nguyen shared that

on the 25th, Vietnamese families visit ancestor graves to clean them and offer incense and food,

showing respect for previous generations. ( in interview on 24 April, 25)

Nowadays, according to Ann Nguyen (in a interview- 24 April,25) some families in rural

areas still keep the custom of erecting trees call “cay nieu” (using bamboo trees), while in cities

and urban areas this custom is less and less common, the tree is erected to fight against demons

and bad omens. The bamboo tree is about 5–6 meters high. Additionally, many things are often

hung (depending on the locality), such as votive gold, exorcisms, cactus branches, straw-woven

wine gourds, paper carp shapes (for Mr. Tao is used as a means to go to heaven).

About to clean the altar, arrange the five-fruit tray. In Vietnamese families, there is often an altar

of ancestors, grandparents (who have passed). The way to decorate and arrange the altar varies
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depending on each family. The altar is a place of memory, a miniature world of the deceased.

The two lamps symbolize the Sun, the Moon, and the incense represents stars. A bowl of incense

is placed in the middle, there may be two smaller incense bowls placed symmetrically on both

sides. Behind the two lamps, there are usually two vases of flowers. Some families also planted

"golden branches and jade leaves" (a kind of votive goods) with the hope of doing business with

gold and silver fruit and trading many times more profit than last year. In the middle of the

"universe" axis is a piece of incense in the form of a bend and rising in the incense bowl. Many

families intersperse two plates between lamps and incense to place the fruit called the five-fruit

tray. Depending on the region, there is a variety of fruits, but each fruit has its own meaning. In

front of the incense bowl, a bowl of clear water is considered as sacred water. A five-fruit tray is

“a fruit tray with about five different fruits commonly available on the Vietnamese Lunar New

Year, according to Mrs Ann Nguyen (in an interview on 24 April, 25). The fruits on display

express the wishes of the owner through their names, colors, and arrangements. Choose 5 fruits

according to the ancient concept that the five elements correspond to human destiny. Choose an

odd number that symbolizes development and proliferation.

The five-fruit tray of Northerners usually includes: bananas, grapefruits, peaches,

persimmons, tangerines or bananas, peppers, grapefruits, kumquats, pears. Can be replaced by

oranges, persimmons, apples, currants, or buddha. In general, Northerners do not have strict

customs about five-fruit trays, but almost all fruits can be displayed, as long as they are colorful.

Like the Northerners, the five-fruit tray of the Southerners does not have strict regulations on

what kind of fruits must be included, usually including soursop, figs, coconuts, papayas, and

mangoes, with the implication that the figs are just enough to use. Southerners often taboo fruits

with bad names (even when reading the camp) such as banana - (“chuối” mean go down), orange
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-(“cam”- mean except bad stuffs), pear - (“lê” mean slow), ... and do not choose fruits with bitter,

spicy taste.

New Year's Eve is the transition between the old year and the new year. On New Year's Eve,

“everyone in the family often gives each other the best wishes”, according to Diana Tran shared

(in an interview on 23 April, 25). On this occasion, localities often organize fireworks for a

duration of 10 minutes to 15 minutes in spacious and airy locations. New Year's Eve is a

ceremony to get rid of all the bad things of the old year to welcome the good things of the new

year.

New Year's Eve worship in the house is “ a ceremony to worship ancestors at the very

moment of New Year's Eve to pray for the ancestors to bless the family to meet good things in

the upcoming new year”, Mrs Mindy Nguyen said (in an interview on 22 April, 25). The holiday

tray includes food dishes on the Tet holiday that are purely prepared with a dignified style. The

food includes “bánh chưng ”, “Bánh tét ” (traditional Tét cake), spring rolls, sticky rice, chicken,

wine, beer, or other drinks. Other food dishes depend on the needs of the family. Sweet desserts

and vegetarian dishes include incense, flowers, candlelight, confectionery, and “Tết” jam. Family

members often stand solemnly in front of the altar (not all, just the main owner and a few more

people in a family) to pray to the ancestors to bless the whole family with safety, prosperity, and

good health. Before praying to their ancestors to invite their predecessors to celebrate “Tết” with

their descendants, homeowners often pray to the “Thổ Công” (The god earth) to ask for

permission for their ancestors to celebrate “Tết”. He is the god who governs the house.

The first day of January is the first New Year's Day and is considered the most important

day in the entire “Tết” holiday. Not to mention the people who are well-numbered and age-right

who are invited to go to the land, in the early morning of this day, ancient Vietnamese people
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often do not leave the house, only offer New Year's offerings, have a party, and bless each other

within the family. For families who have been separated from their parents and their parents are

still alive, they come to wish Tet to fathers and grandparents according to the custom, according

to Mrs. Mindy Nguyen said (in an interview on 22 April, 25) “The first day of January” is

Father's New Year (visit people from the father’s side). “The second day of January" is the day

when there are worship activities at home in the early morning. After that, people wish “Tết” to

mothers and grandparents according to the custom of the Second Day of Mother's New Year

(visit people from the mother’s side). Particularly, men who are about to get married still have to

go to the house of their future wives' parents (in-laws) to celebrate “Tết”. “The third day of

January" is the day after offering rice at home according to the custom of worshiping for at least

three days of “Tết”. Students often come to wish the teacher Tet. According to the custom of the

third day of “Tết”, it can also be referred to as teachers’ day. These days, people often visit, go

back to their hometowns, ask each other about what they have done in the old year and what they

will do in the new year.

For the Vietnamese Catholic community, Mrs. Diana Tran shared: in the first three days

of the year, they often attend mass at the church to pray for each day: the first day praying for

peace for the new year, the second day to pray for ancestors, grandparents, parents if they are still

alive and remember if they have passed away, the third day pray for sanctification for food and

good work in the new year (in an interview on 23 April, 25). For Buddhists, they go to temples

and pagodas to pray for family peace, a smooth and lucky new year.

When “Tết” comes, no matter how poor they are, people still try to borrow, manage to

have enough food to eat in the three days of “Tết”, Mrs. Ann Nguyen shared (in an interview on

24 April,25), that folks have a sentence "old people have a bowl of soup, children have new
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clothes". Moreover, even if they don't have enough food all year round, when “Tết” comes,

people, especially children, usually have more dishes, more substantial and luxurious than

normal meals. Therefore, people often call it "eating Tết”.

“First-foot” (or pedaling, opening goods) is a long-standing custom in Vietnam. Many

people think that the first day is the "opening" of a new year. They believe that on this day, if

everything goes smoothly and luckily, the whole year will also be auspicious and favorable.

Right after New Year's Eve, anyone who enters first into the house with a New Year's wish is

considered to have entered the land for the main household. That's why the first guest to visit the

house in a year is also important. Therefore, “at the end of the year, people deliberately find out

whether people in their relatives or neighbors are cheerful, flexible, moral, and successful to ask

them to go to the land,” Mrs Mindy shared ( in an interview on 22 April, 25). People who come

to the land usually only come to visit, wish “Tết” for about 5 to 10 minutes, but do not stay for a

long time, wishing everything in the year of the host is also smooth. People who take the first

foot step in are happy because they have done a blessing, people who go to the ground are also

happy because they believe that their family will be lucky throughout the next year.

Wish a Happy New Year and celebrate the age of the old people on holiday “Tết”. On the

morning of the first day of Tet, also known as the main day, children and grandchildren gather at

the patriarch's house to celebrate the ancestors and wish “Tết” to grandparents and elders.

According to the concept, every new year, each person increases by one year, so the first day of

“Tết” is the day when children and grandchildren "wish life" to grandparents and seniors.

Everyone when meeting each other is happy, wishing the new year health, happiness, peace, and

prosperity. People in the old years who are at risk encourage each other through accidents or go

instead of people, which means that in the disaster, they also find blessings, towards goodness.
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Celebrating the age (Li xi) is a custom that adults often give children money to put in a “red

paper bag” or "red envelope" with congratulations on eating and growing up quickly. The money

to celebrate the age received on the Tet holiday is called "Opening lucky money". In the past,

according to Mrs. Mindy Nguyen, “there was a custom that the amount of money in the envelope

was a change amount, not even money, implying that this money would proliferate more” (in an

interview on 22 April,25).

The 4th of January, according to the ancient calendar, is the day of water. On this day,

Vietnamese people worship ancestors who have come back to celebrate “Tết” with their children

and grandchildren and burn a lot of gosh money with the concept of letting their predecessors

return to the underworld to have more capital at the beginning of the year, to bless their

descendants to prosper in business.

Customizing gold on the 4th or 5th day of “Tết”, many families still follow the old

tradition: cooking rice, burning gosh money to send relatives passed to pray for a lucky new year.

Goldenization is based on the belief of ancestor worship. Goldenization is often associated with

daily life, to see people in the invisible afterlife living close to the world. On the 4th and 5th of

January, people abstain from travel because they think this is a bad day.

January 7th is the last day of the “Tết” festival series. On this day, Mrs. Ann Nguyen

said: “Vietnamese people perform the ceremony of lowering the bamboo tree (cay nieu) (in an

interview, 24 April, 25), they call the Opening Ceremony, ending the Lunar New Year and

starting to work in the new year from January 8.

During “Tết” holidays, ”families gather together, visit relatives, give each other the best

wishes, celebrate the age of the elderly and children, practice ancestor worship”, Mrs. Diana
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Tran shared (in an interview on 23 April, 25). For Vietnamese people, the Lunar New Year is

very important and sacred, expected by many people, especially those who go on business away

from home, return to reunite with their families, enjoy the joy of reunion; jointly look back on

what has been done in the old year, and at the same time implement good cultural customs with

their families, grand-families, communities and the best things are all for “Tết” holiday. This

work has had a profound impact on the minds of many generations of Vietnamese people.

Therefore, despite how many times that have passed, the custom of welcoming Tet and

celebrating “Tết” of Vietnamese people still retains its own cultural features, rich in national

identity. “Tết” is also an opportunity for each person to establish new relationships, strengthen

intimacy and friendship, travel to explore the poetic and lyrical natural landscape, supplement

themselves with new energy sources to increase motivation to contribute, and love for the

homeland.

Over time, memories of “Tết”, “Tết” style, and “Tết” images are increasingly cultivated

with new values in the direction of settling and deepening. Good customs during the traditional

national “Tết” holidays are important factors contributing to the formation and nurturing of the

personality, value system, morality, and aesthetics of Vietnamese people throughout history.

Many good values of “Tết” holidays have been jointly preserved and promoted by the

community in today's life.

In the new development period, with the pace of industrialization and modernization of

life, besides the majority of Vietnamese people and families still maintaining many good cultural

customs of the Lunar New Year, there are also many different views on preserving this traditional

beauty, even somewhere there is a voice suggesting to give up the Lunar New Year should only

have the Lunar New Year to integrate with the world. In particular, in the face of the negative
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side of the market economy, many good customs of the traditional “Tết” have been changed,

changed in many different forms and degrees, distorting their good nature, negatively affecting

society, community activities... Therefore, it is required to recognize the Lunar New Year as one

of the leading cultural heritages, the cultural identity of the Vietnamese nation, worthy of being

preserved, promoted, and developed.

As society develops, traditional customs are also adjusted to suit modern life. However,

the change and transformation that corrupts traditional values, personality, morality, and culture

of human behavior, which is very strange to the good traditions of the nation, negatively

affecting the thoughts, feelings, perceptions, and behaviors of future generations and is

unacceptable. Therefore, it is considered that preserving the cultural beauty of the traditional

Vietnamese “Tết” is very necessary and the responsibility of the whole society. That requires

every Vietnamese citizen, whether living in the country or abroad, to work together to preserve

and promote the traditional cultural beauty of “Tết” in a way that respects, practices, and passes

on to the next generations. At the same time, it is also necessary to criticize, condemn and fight

to eliminate customs during the Lunar New Year so that the good cultural values of “Tết” holiday

are increasingly complete, contributing to the formation of generations of Vietnamese people

who are closely and harmoniously connected between traditional and modern values, and not far

from national cultural identity.

Through secondary studies and information I gained from interviews with people from

different regions of Vietnam, I learned a lot about Vietnamese customs in general and “Tết”

customs in particular. I learned more about the way the Vietnamese community celebrates the Tet

holiday, some things I did not know so deeply before. That makes me more proud to be a

member of the Vietnamese community because it has a very beautiful and unique culture.
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The traditional “Tết” holiday of the Vietnamese nation with many special meanings, good

customs during “Tết” shows cultural traditions that need to be cherished and promoted by future

generations, especially in the period of integration with the world today, because it is the soul,

the unique identity of the Vietnamese nation. Preserving national cultural identity is the basis for

strengthening the sense of national self-respect, and is the foundation for sustainable

development; continue to inherit and promote the good traditions of the nation in the process of

deep and complex international integration as it is today.

Bibliography

“Tet Holiday: A COMPLETE Guide to the Most IMPORTANT Festival.” Vinpearl.com, 28 Oct.

2024, http://vinpearl.com/en/tet-holiday-a-complete-guide-to-the-most-important-festival

“Tet: Tradition, Reunion & Taste.” Vietnam Tourism,

http://vietnam.travel/things-to-do/tet-tradition-reunion-taste