Têt - The Vietnamese New Year

Tết, the Vietnamese Lunar New Year, is the country’s biggest festival. This year Tết falls on the January 26, 2009. Tết ushers in a new year, the year of the Ox , and the birth of spring.

Prior to Tết, houses are cleaned, old business or old debts are cleared to get rid of bad luck and to get ready for the new year. One week before Tết, every Vietnamese families have a special ceremony to send the Kitchen Gods to the Heaven to report on what happened in the family during the last year.

One of the most impressive aspects of Tết is colour and flowers. Almost every Vietnamese family tries to buy at least a small peach blossom branch (photo above). The peach blossom tree – cây đào - is believed to be a symbol of happiness.

Another Tết tree that you see around Nghi Tam area at Tết time is the kumquat tree (photo left). Theis tree symbolizes wealth and good luck. The tree symbolizes different generations in a Vietnamese family: the fruit as grandparents, the flowers as parents, the buds as children, and the light green leaves as grandchildren.

Tết lasts for three days or longer. On Tết’s Eve, families gather for a meal called Tất niên. This is a special time as it marks the end of a year and the beginning of a new year. Every Vietnamese stands in front of the altar to pray for a very happy new year to come. The first day of Tết is believed to effect the rest of the year. To ensure good luck, each family invites a respected person to be the first visitor (người xông đất), to visit the house as that person is believed to bring wealth, good luck, and happiness. No sweeping the floor is done on that day as nobody wants to sweep out any good luck. During Tết, people dress up to visit relatives, friends, colleagues, neighbours, employees etc. to wish them “Chúc Mừng Năm Mới”. Children are given lucky money in red envelopes by adults. Most shops are closed for at least three days of Tết. Tết is enjoyed to its fullest with food, drinks, and friends.

After three days of Tết, life begins to return to its normal pace. People get back to their daily work and begin to prepare for another Tết. Each Tết is seen as the beginning of a new and better time in a person’s life and everybody looks forward to it with great excitement.

CHÚC MỪNG NĂM MỚI!
Tran Kim Dung, Elementary Vietnamese Teacher, UNIS