by Gloria Pieretti. Thi-Kinh sat in the shade of an areca tree trying to hide her anger from the happy villagers around her, for today was the day before Tet, the Vietnamese New Year. "Tet is a joyous holiday," her father had explained last evening as he gathered his eight children around him. "It is a time of new beginning. Which do you prefer: summer holidays or winter holidays? What are the advantages and disadvantages of each? What are the advantages and disadvantages of buying a holiday with everything organised for you compared with a holiday which you create fully by yourself? Do you organise your holiday over the internet or do you use a travel agent? Christmas is a holiday that is meaningful but can easily get too commercialized. One simple way to restore the meaning of Christmas is to send a card to people with a Christian message or verse in it. This allows people to take a moment to think about Christmas' history and what the celebration is all about. Well, like most people celebrate - spending time with family, preparing some sumptuous foods, watching fireworks display when the clock strikes at 12. I really love that holiday because it's the only time that every family member of ours gathers as one. Honestly, I always look forward to that holiday. (Answer 2) My most favorite holiday is Halloween. That should not be a surprise to anyone who knows me. I have a morbid sense of humor & revel in the darkness that Halloween brings to the world. There's something exciting about dressing as someone else and decorating each year. My least favorite holiday is probably Easter. 3. To think outside the box. To think outside the box means to think in a creative way that is not typical or traditional. You can use this expression in business when you are talking about ideas. If someone tells you to think outside the box, then they are telling you to think of a creative solution or idea that may be unexpected or not obvious. jzOxADc. When many Americans hear the word "Tet," they immediately recall learning about the 1968 Tet Offensive during the Vietnam War. But what is Tet all about? Considered the first day of spring and most important of national holidays in Vietnam, Tet is the annual Vietnamese New Year celebration, coinciding with the Lunar New Year celebrated throughout the world in January or February. Technically, "Tet" is a shortened thank goodness! form of Tết Nguyên Đán, a way to say "Lunar New Year" in Vietnamese. Although Tet can be a very exciting time to travel in Vietnam, it's also the busiest time of the year to be there. Millions of people will be moving throughout the country, returning to their home villages to share reunions with friends and family. The Tet holiday will certainly affect your experience in Vietnam. quangpraha / Getty Images What to Expect Because many shops and businesses are closed during the actual Tet holiday, people rush out in the weeks prior to take care of preparations. They purchase gifts, decorations, groceries for the upcoming family reunions, and new clothing. Markets become busy, and hotels in big cities begin to get booked up. Tet is a great time to see Vietnamese traditions, games, and revelry. Public stages are set up throughout the country with free cultural shows, music, and entertainment. In the popular Pham Ngu Lao area in Saigon, special performances will be held for tourists. Much like during Chinese New Year, there will be dragon dances and lion dances. Although there are some private New Year parties, all public celebrations will be free to enjoy. Traveling During Tet Many Vietnamese people return to their home villages during Tet to visit family. Trains and buses between Saigon and Hanoi become filled up in the days before and after the holiday. Plan extra time if you'll be wanting to move around the country. Traveling during Tet is busy—you'll need even more patience than usual. Parks and public monuments are crowded. But there are many parts of traveling during Tet to enjoy. Locals are often more congenial and outgoing during Tet. You'll get to enjoy more cultural interactions. Spirits lift, and the atmosphere becomes optimistic. A greater focus is put on the ability to invite good fortune into homes and businesses in the upcoming year. For travelers in Vietnam, Tet can seem incredibly noisy and chaotic as local people celebrate in the streets. Firecrackers are thrown and gongs or other noisy objects are banged to scare away mischievous spirits that could bring about bad fortune. Big fireworks shows rumble overhead. Any hotel rooms facing the street will be extra noisy during the Tet celebration. Many businesses close in observance of the national holiday, and other places slow down with fewer staff on hand. Many Vietnamese families take advantage of the national holiday by traveling to popular destinations in Vietnam to celebrate and enjoy time away from work. Beach areas such as Da Nang and tourist towns such as Hoi An will be busier than usual. Finding good deals for accommodation can be a challenge. Book far ahead; prices typically increase sharply during the holiday. Vietnamese New Year Traditions Tet is seen as a chance for a fresh start. Debts are settled, and old grievances are forgiven. Houses are cleaned of clutter and decorated with symbolic flowers. Plants get pruned, and drawers are cleared out. All preparations are meant to set the stage for attracting as much luck and good fortune as possible in the upcoming year. Superstition permeates the air Whatever happens on the first day of the new year is thought to set the pace for the rest of the year. Sweeping and cutting including hair and fingernails are taboo during Tet as no one wants to unknowingly remove incoming good luck! Although Chinese New Year is observed for 15 days, Tet is typically celebrated for three days with some traditions observed for up to a week. The first day of Tet is usually spent with immediate family, the second day is for visiting friends, and the third day is dedicated to teachers and visiting temples. One of the most important traditions observed during Tet is the emphasis put on who is the first to enter a house in the new year. The first person brings the luck good or bad for the year! Special people who are considered successful dear to the family are sometimes invited and given the honor to be the first to enter. If no one is invited, the homeowner leaves and returns a few minutes after midnight just to ensure they are the first to enter the house for the new year. Because the primary aim is to attract good fortune for the new year, Tet and Chinese New Year share a lot of similar traditions. How to Say Happy New Year in Vietnamese Like Thai and Chinese, Vietnamese is a tonal language, making proper pronunciation a challenge for many English speakers. Regardless, locals will understand your attempts through context during Tet. You can wish people a happy new year in Vietnamese by telling them chúc mừng năm mới. Pronounced roughly as it is transliterated, the greeting sounds like "chuop moong nahm moy." The Dates for Tet Like many winter holidays in Asia, Tet is based on the Chinese lunisolar calendar. The date changes annually for Lunar New Year, but it usually falls in late January or early February. The first day of the new lunar year occurs on the new moon between January 21 and February 20. Hanoi's time GMT+7 is one hour behind Beijing, so some years the official start of Tet varies from Chinese New Year by a single day. Otherwise, you can just assume the two holidays coincide. Upcoming dates for Tet in Vietnam 2021 February 12 Friday2022 February 1 Tuesday Tet holiday – Vietnamese Lunar New Year or simply Tet Vietnam is the most significant festival in the S-shaped country. As a result of being calculated by the lunar calendar, the Tet festival often occurs at the end of January or the beginning of February, which is later than New Year’s Day. As the longest Vietnam holiday, Tet Vietnam is the most wonderful occasion for all foreign tourists to spend their Vietnam vacation packages enjoying the festive atmosphere and exploring one of the oldest festivals in the world. Tet festival 2023 is on January 22nd, 2023 New Year’s Eve is the previous day.Tet Holiday – Vietnamese New YearTet Vietnam is celebrated to welcome the Lunar New Year and summarize what they did in the old one. It is considered an important mark for changes, plans, and progress. In addition, Vietnamese people believe that what they do on the first day of the new year will affect their rest. Therefore, they pay great attention to every word they say and everything they do. Furthermore, Tet in Vietnam may be the only occasion for all family members to have happy moments together after a year of family is making traditional Chung cakes on the Tet holidayA traditional Tet festival in Vietnam often lasts for a month. However, the busy life makes it shorter and even disappears. If you choose a new type of travel like cruising to enjoy the multi-culture Lunar New Year, your travel plan should be picked the right countries where people still hold a long festival such as Thailand, China, Taiwan, and Vietnam, which is often a week. Recently, some people express their idea to cancel the Vietnamese New Year and only celebrate the Western New Year. Although it is constructive, the Tet holiday will still be remaining as a vital festival in Vietnam because of its priceless traditions, customs, and Features of Tet Holiday – Vietnamese New Year Vietnamese Lunar New Year is NOT Chinese Lunar New YearIt is absolutely mistaken to say that the Vietnamese are celebrating the Chinese Lunar New Year. Although both countries use the lunar calendar, Vietnamese people have different lunar new year customs, celebrations, and traditions from History of Lunar New Year in VietnamAccording to the historical documents, in the thirteenth century, Vietnamese people often celebrated the Tet holiday by painting tattoos on themselves, drinking traditional glutinous-rice liquor, using betel nuts to welcome guests, and eating Chung cakes, pickled onions. In the Ly dynasty 1009-1226, many important rituals were made for the Tet festival such as setting up a dome to pray for the rains or building communal houses to crave for a year of abundant harvests. In the period of King Le Thanh Tong 1442-1497, Tet was the most important festival and hundreds of mandarins had to gather at the royal court to celebrate this lunar new year festival with royal Tet Holiday’s FoodsIn the Vietnamese language, to celebrate Tet also means to eat, which affirmed the important role of Vietnam’s Lunar New Year’s Food. One Vietnamese traditional proverb denotes that you can be hungry all year except for three days of the Tet festival because dozens of delicious dishes and desserts will be prepared on Lunar New Year in Vietnam to feast on the ancestors as well as every family CakeChung cake is the traditional cake in Vietnam that only appears on the Tet holiday. Tasty and savory Chung cake is made from very familiar ingredients to all Vietnamese such as sticky rice, green beans, and pork, which is wrapped in green leaves and boiled overnight. According to a legend that has been passed on for thousands of generations, Chung cake is the symbol of Earth because it combines all the unique ingredients of Vietnamese agriculture. Although Chung cake can be tasted in all seasons nowadays, enjoying these cakes during the Tet holiday still brings special feelings to Vietnamese – Vietnamese Lunar New Year’s DessertJam is a common snack to welcome guests on the Tet holiday. It is mainly made from dried fruits like carrots, coconuts, apples, or some kinds of seeds such as roasted watermelon seeds, and sunflower seeds mixed with sugar. The Vietnamese believe eating sweet things on the Tet holiday will bring them luck for the Lunar New OnionsOn the Tet holiday, people often eat fast and oiled foods which easily cloys their appetite. This is high time for something with low calories and fresh like pickled onions. They help the digestive system digest high-protein food more easily. In the minds of Vietnamese people, Tet is only complete when there are fat meat, pickled onions, and red there is a myriad of signature dishes that inspire the taste in different regions of the Vietnamese Lunar New Year such as spring rolls, boiled chickens, Vietnamese sausages, sticky rice, and so on. Mascots of Tet holidayVietnamese Zodiac SignsEach Lunar New Year will have a symbolic animal. 12 Vietnamese zodiac signs are different from Chinese ones The fourth zodiac sign in Vietnam is Cat while it is Rabbit in China. Every animal will bring unique luck in its year so you can see them everywhere in Vietnam through Tet holiday decorations or advertisement signs. Tet holiday 2023 is the year of the & Flowers on Tet HolidayPeach blossoms in Northern Vietnam and apricot blossom trees in Southern Vietnam are also symbols that exclusively appear on the Tet holiday. The light red of peach blossom will bring luck while the yellow of apricot blossom will bring fortune to the owners. It is said that Tet Vietnam will lose itself if missing two of TreeIt is originally a 5-meter tall bamboo shoot. The chop of the tree hangs different things based on each region such as votive papers, amulet exorcism, or alcohol bottles made of straw. It is believed that the appearance of the Neu tree on the Tet holiday in Vietnam is the signal for the devils to realize that this place is home to living people, not to of Five FruitsThis is a tray of five different fruits such as bananas, grapefruits, oranges, and other tropical fruits which are only prepared on the Vietnamese New Year. Although each region chooses different fruits, a tray of five fruits is still used to express the wishes for the Lunar New Year of the host family by their names, colors, and addition, kumquat trees, Dong Ho paintings, and red distiches are also believed by the Vietnamese to bring luck and wealth for them all around the is Tet Holiday Celebrated? Before Tet Holiday – How Vietnam Lunar New Year is Prepared?Tet Ong Cong, Ong Tao Gods & Goddess of KitchenOn the 23rd of the last month in the lunar calendar, Vietnamese people prepare the traditional offerings and especially the carps to regale the gods and goddesses living at their house all over the year. Then they will release the carp into the river so they will be used by the Gods as transportations to come to heaven, according to the legend. In heaven, they will report everything happening all around the year of their family to the King of heaven. They will come back on the last day of the year to celebrate the Tet holiday with the host. The carps then become the dragons. Tet Ong Cong, Ong Tao of Tet holiday 2023 is on January of Kitchen GodsCleaning & Decorating the HouseTet holiday is also called by the jolly name “house-cleaning festival”. A week before the Tet festival, all members of the family clean the house, the garden, the altars, do Tet holiday decorations. Broken things will be repaired, old things will be replaced. Clothes and decorations such as lanterns, distiches, and led lights will be bought. All those preparations have the same purpose – to be the best to welcome the Lunar New Year festival and to receive luck as well as Last Day of the Year & Lunar New Year EveOn the last day of the year, every member of different generations gathers around a grand banquet to enjoy the last meal of the year. The talk at that time is about things already happening in the year. The ambiance of the reunion is always the most wonderful and happiest of meal of the yearOn Lunar New Year Eve, the young often go out to watch the Tet holiday firework performance while the elderly and adults stay at home making offerings of pig head, boiled chicken, rice, and salt for outdoor worshipping to the Gods and indoor one to the ancestors. They will pray for a new year of luck, health, and fortune to every family Dance at Tet FestivalAfter that, the young return home and become the first ones to come to the house in the lunar new year. It is believed that the wishes of that person for the host will come true. Then everyone gathers again to drink some alcohol or juice. Then the wishes, as well as plans of every person for the new year, will be shared with for Lucky Letters During Tet Holiday – Vietnamese Lunar New Year Traditions & CustomsLunar New Year in Vietnam traditionally lasts for three days. People often stay at home to welcome guests to their houses or go to their relatives and neighborhood houses. The elderly will be received the Tet holiday’s gifts and wishes for health, the adults will be received the ones for fortune and success while the young and children will be received lucky money. Laughs and talks appear everywhere on the Tet holiday these days. Besides, Vietnamese people often go to pagodas. By donating money and asking for letters, they will receive several lucks and a New Year Wishes & GreetingsThe Tet festival is the main holiday in Vietnam. Therefore, Vietnamese people will give each other the best wishes for a lucky and successful Lunar New Year. Below are some of the Tet holiday greetings and wishes with meanings in Mung Nam Noi Happy Vietnam Lunar New YearAn Khang Thinh Vuong Wish you are always safe and sound, wealthy, and Su Nhu Y All your wishes will come Tai Tan Loc Wish you a new year of & Activities after Tet HolidayTet Vietnam ends when votive papers are burned and offerings are taken down from the altars to share with every family member. It is the time for people to join in festivals all around the country after the Vietnamese Lunar New Year such as the buffalo fighting festivals or boat racing, wrestling, lion or dragon dances. Festivals will be organized for a month after the Tet holiday so you are able to attend and explore them as many as talk about Tet Holiday, the Vietnamese Lunar New Year is a priceless value in Vietnam and an indispensable part of the life of all Vietnamese people. Plan Vietnam tours to enjoy the Tet holiday and experience unforgettable experiences of Vietnamese cultures, customs, and Tet Holiday Dates & Corresponding Zodiac AnimalsYearVietnamese Lunar New Year DateVietnamese Zodiac Sign20002000-02-05Dragon20012001-01-24Snake20022002-02-12Horse20032003-02-01Goat20042004-01-22Monkey20052005-02-09Chicken20062006-01-29Dog20072007-02-18Pig20082008-02-07Rat20092009-01-26Buffalo20102010-02-14Tiger20112011-02-03Cat20122012-01-23Dragon20132013-02-10Snake20142014-01-31Horse20152015-02-19Goat20162016-02-08Monkey20172017-01-28Chicken20182018-02-16Dog20192019-02-05Pig20202020-01-25Rat20212021-02-12Buffalo20222022-02-01Tiger20232023-01-22Cat20242024-02-10Dragon20252025-01-29Snake20262026-02-17Horse20272027-02-06Goat20282028-01-26Monkey20292029-02-13Chicken20302030-02-03Dog What is Tet in Vietnam? When is Tet? How to Celebrate the Tet? Tet Decorations for Good Luck Traditional Food for Tet Tet Festival Greetings Travelling in Vietnam During Tet Vietnamese New Year, also known as Tet Festival, is the most important festival of the year in Vietnam. Its name, Tet, is an abbreviation for Tet Nguyen Dan, which is Vietnamese for the feast of the first morning of the first day of their calendar. In 2023, Tet falls on January 22nd Sunday. It is a Year of the Cat. Cat is the fourth sign in Vietnamese Zodiac, taking place of the Rabbit in Chinese Zodiac. What is Tet in Vietnam? New Year Americans might recall the 1968 Tet Offensive during the Vietnam War. Tet Nguyen Dan, shortened to Tet, is Vietnam's Lunar New Year and is the most important annual celebration and public holiday in Vietnam spanning 5-7 days. Tet celebrates the beginning of a new year as well the coming of spring. Exuberant festivities are held — traditional food, music and dragon dancing performed along the streets. During this time there is a real sense of celebration in the air, making it a festive time to visit Vietnam. Celebrated as a time of renewal, Tet serves as an opportunity for Vietnamese people to pay homage to their ancestors and have family reunions. Preparations usually begin a week before Tet, as people start to return home, clean their family graves, worship at their family altars and decorate their homes with apricot blossoms, peach blossoms and kumquat trees, symbolizing the hope of prosperity and well-being. When is Tet? Tet is based on the lunar calendar, and generally celebrated on the same day as the Chinese New Year. The date changes annually, but falls between mid-January and late February. Most Vietnamese people will have five days off for Tet. Tet celebrations can range from 3 days and continue for up to one week. The festival is split into the day before New Year's Eve, New Year's Eve, and New Year's Day. All of these days correspond to the Vietnamese or lunar calendar, so they will happen on a different date every year. Tet Festival falls on Sunday, January 22nd in 2023. Here are the dates for the next coming Vietnamese New Year celebrations, as well as the Lunar Zodiac Animals associated with them. 2023 January 22 – Year of the Cat 2024 February 10 – Year of the Dragon 2025 February 29 – Year of the Snake 2026 February 17 – Year of the Horse More about the celebration schedule for Tet Vietnam 2023 >>> positive customer reviews among 10,000+ positive customer reviews among 10,000+ Vietnam & UAE FANTASTIC tour! Thank you Albee Ning! Albee was INCREDIBLE. She arranged a 9-day private tour of both North and South Vietnam. No stone was left unturned a private cruise up the Mekong; excellent hotel reservations; personal, caring tour guides; More Consumer, Jun 2020 We traveled with Asia Highlights… My husband and I had an absolutely wonderful 5 1/2 week trip that was organized by the exceptional Ruby Zhao. We have traveled a lot and Ruby is the VERY BEST AGENT we have ever had! More Lurinda Smith Barton Barnwell, Mar 2020 We satisfied with Asia…Four Great Weeks in China and Viet Nam Asia Highlights was very efficient at advising us on what to see and the best routes to take, but they were also very flexible in integrating our own ideas in regard of travel destinations and accommodations. More Eva and Jim, Oct 2019 Trip to Vietnam with Asia Highlights was well above expectations My 12-day private trip to Vietnam was a very rewarding experience, and every day was fantastic, and well above expectations. 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More Victor Cognato, Dec 2018 Vietnam with Asia Highlights Just returned from Vietnam trip arranged by Albee at Asia was very helpful with the arrangements even when I requested multiple changes in the itinerary. More Tom, Oct 2017 Just came back from Vietnam/Cambodia… Just came back from Vietnam/Cambodia trip via Asia Highlights and had a wonderful experience. The hotels they chosed for us were all very food. the guides were all very professional and spoke good English More Yumin Zheng, Feb 2017 How to celebrate the Tet? Of all festivals in Vietnam, Tet is the most family-centered holiday, and Vietnamese people often travel back to the places where their families are from to spend the holiday with their extended families. On Tet, families will prepare a feast to welcome visiting relatives and friends, to exchange greetings and best wishes for the New Year. Sharing similarities with Chinese New Year, Vietnamese New Year is important for the Vietnamese people as it is believed that what they do on the first day of the year will affect the rest of the year. Therefore, they pay great attention to every word they say and everything they do on this day. √ Before Tet Cleaning and Shopping preparing for tet Before Tet, Vietnamese families will normally spend a lot of time sweeping and cleaning their homes. This action represents the cleansing of bad luck from the previous year and making room for the coming of the New Year. The Vietnamese believe that the spirits of deceased family members will visit the living ones during Tet, so they venerate the ancestors by cleaning their family shrines, creating a display of pictures of ancestors with burning incense, and presenting offerings of flowers and fruit. Before Tet, the shrines are well cleaned and new offerings and decorations are placed there. The intense festival atmosphere fills the streets with dazzling displays of colorful flowers. People shop around markets to buy decorations for their homes, ingredients to cook traditional Tet food, and new clothes for wearing when visiting friends at the New Year. √ The Lunar New Year's Day - Tet New Year Celebration The first day of Tet, however, is typically reserved for the nuclear family. On this day, children will receive red envelopes with money from their older relatives. New Year's Day is celebrated with people in the streets making loud noises, using firecrackers, drums, bells, and gongs to ward off evil spirits. There is also a parade that takes place on this day. Parades happen all over the cities; lively events full of people wearing masks and performing lion dances. After the firecrackers and parades, families come together for a large feast of traditional Vietnamese dishes. Since the Vietnamese believe that the first visitors to a family determines their fortune for the whole year, they like to invite someone of good morality to be the first ones visiting the house to bring them full blessings for the New Year. Tet is also considered a lucky time of year for opening a shop or starting a business. How to decorate the house for good luck during Tet? The decorations in Vietnam for Tet are some of the most impressive, and they really add to the atmosphere. During the Tet Festival you'll see people buying peach blossom trees for their homes, kumquat trees, and orange trees. There will be flowers everywhere, including chrysanthemums and orchids mostly, which you'll see in big displays throughout the cities and people will also have in their homes as well as in pots outside of their homes. While the peach flowers and kumquat trees are comparatively more popular in the north of Vietnam, the yellow Mai flower is popular in the central and south of the country. These fruits and trees symbolize fertility and fruitfulness that the family hopes for in the coming year ahead! How to say Happy New Year in Vietnamese? Vietnamese is a tonal language and can be a challenge to learn. However, during the Tet season, locals will understand you as soon as you start with a big smile and say "chúc mừng năm mới". This means Happy New Year in Vietnamese, and sounds like "chook moong nahm moi". More about Vietnamese New Year Greetings 2023, Wishes and Images >>> What is the traditional food for Tet festival? Traditional Food for Tet You can take part in the Tet festival by trying traditional Vietnamese food! Tet is a time of indulgence with an array of delicacies served in every family, from pork, chicken, and sticky rice to candied fruit. The following three delicious dishes are the most popular ones eaten by Vietnamese people during Tet as part of their celebration. √ Banh Chung Only eaten in Vietnam during Tet, this tasty treat is made of tightly-packed sticky rice, which may include either a meat filling or a bean spread. This sticky rice is then traditionally wrapped in banana leaves, to keep the inside fresh for the duration of the festival. √ Gio or Chag This Vietnamese ham or sausage is often served with sticky rice during Tet. You can order this festival food in two different ways; Gio means the meat is boiled and if you ask for cha you will receive meat that has been fried. √ Xoi This is the Vietnamese classic sticky rice. Xoi is eaten during many festivals in Vietnam, as it is considered a staple for all meals meant for worshipping the ancestors. It can be made with many different ingredients, including peanuts, mung beans, or fruit. Travelling in Vietnam during Tet Tet is one of the most festive times of the year to visit Vietnam, but it's best to be prepared as this is a different time to travel to Vietnam compared to the rest of the year. √ What to Expect Vietnam is extremely festive during Tet, and you'll see beautiful decorations and flowers everywhere at this time. The cities really do go all out with floral displays throughout the country adding to the amazing atmosphere throughout the country. Add to this that the weather in Vietnam is actually the best around the time of the Tet Festival February is generally the best time to visit all of Vietnam, it is certainly not necessary to cancel your Vietnam plans for Tet! Many businesses will close their doors the day before Tet as this is one of the few holidays many workers in Vietnam get, and they may stay closed for a few days. This includes most museums, tourist sights, and shops. If you are traveling during this period it is a good idea to check opening times before venturing out to visit somewhere especially. √ Tips for Visiting Vietnam during Tet Festival Hoam Kiem Lake If you are visiting Vietnam during Tet Festival, we recommend booking hotels and transportation in advance as there will be lots of people moving around the country to visit family during that week. You may have to budget for slightly higher costs too due to raised demand, especially if you're not booking in advance. The restaurants frequented by tourists are more likely to be open in the bigger cities, so venture out to the Western restaurants during these few days or the larger Vietnamese restaurants in your guidebooks. If you are uncertain, you can ask your hotel to call ahead to check opening hours during the festive period to avoid disappointment, and they will also know where is open. Because some of the museums and art galleries will be shut, we recommend visiting the public parks and lakes which are always open. For example, in Hanoi is a great idea to walk around to soak up the festive atmosphere, as well as the Old Quarter. Finally, bargaining is considered to bring about bad luck for the whole year, so try not to bargain during this special period. If you absolutely have to, try to be especially polite. It is best to save your shopping for right before or right after Tet! Where to celebrate Tet in Vietnam for travelers? The three best cities to travel to during Tet are Hanoi, Hoi An and Ho Chi Minh City, because, unlike other cities and small towns, many shops and stores stay open during the festival. Recommended Itinerary √ Hanoi for the capital's celebrations Hanoi is the capital city of Vietnam, providing more options for visitors during the Tet period. Though attractions like museums, monuments and public service centers will be closed during the entire week starting from the day of Tet, travelers can still join in the New Year celebrations by walking around the Hoan Kiem Lake area. Some businesses will be closed, but not all. Most graded hotels are open, and tourist-specific events put on a show for business. It is easy to find some restaurants for dining. Most grocery stores will be closed, but big shopping malls will open during the day. We suggest that you arrive in Hanoi several days before Tet to visit the attractions and markets first and then stay there to experience the New Year. If you are invited to a Vietnamese family, it will be much more fun because of the interaction with locals. √ Hoi An for traditional activities lanterns in Hoi An Hoi An is typically considered the place to be during Tet. Shops and restaurants do not close down and many people travel to Hoi An to join the celebrations. Most of the festivities happen in the Ancient Town, which is an ancient port city and UNESCO World Heritage site in the center of Hoi An. During Tet, the Ancient Town is lively and picturesque, with street-food vendors lining the ancient pathways, lit by Vietnamese traditional lanterns. There is plenty of shopping to do and even lantern-making classes to attend. For the whole week, Hoi An also offers regular culture and art performances. √ Ho Chi Minh City for fireworks and flower festivals Faireworks Considered the "city that never sleeps" of Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh City is a place known for its nightlife. Here there are parties, lavish dinners, creative and fun cocktails, and plenty of people staying up all night. On the second day of Tet, or Lunar New Year"s Eve, locals will light fireworks in the streets of Ho Chi Minh City and many people will head to the bars to count down to the New Year. For those who want to celebrate the holiday just like the Vietnamese, there are two festivals that happen in HCMC at this time the Nguyen Hue Flower Festival and the Tao Ban Flower Festival. At these colorful events, everything will be covered in bright yellow and orange flower decorations, and there will also be folk music, games and delicious food to try! Asia Highlights Can Arrange a Tet Tour We can help you arrange a Vietnam tour during Tet, as our knowledgeable guides will know exactly where is and isn't open, and can ensure you still visit everything you want to with a little bit of extra planning! Because the weather in Vietnam is amazing during the time when Tet generally falls, Tet is a wonderful time to explore the best of Vietnam with our 9-Day tour! Send a free inquiry for a unique Vietnam expereince. New Year’s celebrations are some of the most important holidays worldwide. They’re an opportunity for us to make resolutions and look back on what we’ve achieved in months passed. Jump ahead to these sections What Is Vietnamese New Year Tet? When Is the Vietnamese New Year and How Long Does It Last? How Do You Wish Someone a Happy New Year’ in Vietnam? Vietnamese New Year Traditions Countries that follow the Gregorian calendar, including the United States, celebrate New Year’s Day on January 1 each year. But some countries that have historically observed the lunar calendar, including Vietnam, hold their New Year’s festivals on a different date each year. The Vietnamese New Year’s celebration is called Tet, and in many ways, it’s comparable to other Lunar New Year festivals. But Tet is also unique in many ways. What Is Vietnamese New Year Tet? Tết Nguyên Đán, or Tet for short, is Vietnam’s New Year. Tet is one of the most important festivals in Vietnam, and it incorporates the country’s rich culture and storied history. For the people of Vietnam, Tet is like our New Year’s Eve, Thanksgiving, Fourth of July, and Christmas celebrations all rolled into one extravagant festival. Tet marks the beginning of spring in Vietnam, as well as the beginning of the new year according to the lunar calendar. Technically, there are many Tet festivals throughout the year in Vietnam. But the Tet festival that marks the beginning of a new lunar year is the biggest and most sacred. That’s why the Vietnamese New Year is known worldwide simply as “Tet.” Origin Tet, or the Lunar New Year in Vietnam, is the time of year when winter is coming to an end and spring is beginning. The people of Vietnam have long-held beliefs that, at this time of year, the universe is ending one cycle and beginning another. It’s also believed that the first day and week of the lunar new year determines a person’s fate for the year ahead. Therefore, the people of Vietnam often take extra care to start the new year off right. They might be cautious of anything that could bring misfortune. Additionally, people usually focus on positivity in relationships and avoid starting arguments. Everyone treats each other more generously, settles their debts, and forgives their differences before and during the Vietnamese New Year. Who celebrates Tet is a national holiday in Vietnam. However, different regions and religions practice slightly different traditions across the country. For example, some regions prepare foods based on what’s locally available—like regional fruits and vegetables. Some religions focus on ancestral worship during Tet, while for others, it may be optional. When Is the Vietnamese New Year and How Long Does It Last? The Vietnamese New Year takes place at the start of a new lunar year. Although the people of Vietnam observe the solar Gregorian calendar, the Solar New Year generally isn’t as important as the Lunar New Year. Because the people of China also observe the key dates of the lunar calendar, Vietnamese New Year is on the same date as Chinese New Year. Below are the dates of the first day of Tet in coming years 2022 February 1 2023 January 22 2024 February 10 2025 January 29 Tet is officially a three-day national holiday in Vietnam. However, including preparations for Tet events, the holiday can stretch up to a week or longer. How Do You Wish Someone a Happy New Year’ in Vietnam? If you’re visiting Vietnam for Vietnamese New Year, it’s a good idea to know how to wish people “Happy New Year” properly. In general, the Vietnamese New Year is a time to wish everyone prosperity and good fortune. Some traditional Tet greetings are “Chúc Mừng Năm Mới.” - Happy New Year. “Cung Chúc Tân Xuân.” - Gracious wishes of the new spring. “Sức khỏe dồi dào.” - Plenty of health. “Cung hỉ phát tài.” - Congratulations and be prosperous. “An khang thịnh vượng.” - Security, good health, and prosperity. “Vạn sự như ý.” May many things go according to your will. » MORE Do you need to get your affairs in order ASAP? Start in minutes. Vietnamese New Year Traditions The Vietnamese New Year is the biggest and most grand celebration in this Asian nation. It comes with many unique traditions, from preparing for the festival and cooking historical dishes to giving gifts and paying respect to the ancestors. Preparation Part of the Vietnamese New Year celebration begins before the date even arrives. In the days or weeks leading up to Tet, Vietnamese households often perform a deep-cleaning. This is thought to rid the home of any bad luck remaining from the previous year. Families clear weeds out of their yards, burn incense, and stock the kitchen with food. The streets are typically lined with numerous vendors, providing an assortment of fresh flowers, fruit, and decorations. Family members often reunite in the days before Tet to prepare for the holiday together. Decorations Households across Vietnam are decorated brightly and colorfully for the holiday of Tet. The colors red and yellow are thought to bring good luck, so you’ll typically see these colors everywhere. Additionally, families use a number of flowering plants to represent the new spring. These plants have their own symbology. Bamboo The bamboo tree, or cay neu, represents the new year. The family strips the tree of its leaves in preparation for Tet, leaving only the leaves at the crown. They then decorate the tree with red paper and other objects. Peach blossom According to Vietnamese tradition, the peach blossom tree wards off evil spirits. It’s common to display a flowering peach tree in the home to bring good fortune during Tet. Kumquat A kumquat tree represents the many generations of a family. The fruits represent the many members of the family tree. Food As Tet approaches, people in Vietnam stock their kitchens full of food to prepare for the festival. And while they tend to stock up on nearly everything, there are a few dishes specific to the festival of Vietnamese New Year. Pig feet One of the main traditional dishes served on Tet is pig’s feet stewed with bamboo shoots. Side dishes may include steamed rice, stir-fried almonds, papaya salad, bitter gourd, and mung bean pudding. Banh day and banh chung Banh day and banh chung are two types of traditional cakes prepared during the Vietnamese New Year celebration. They date all the way back to the eighth generation of the first Vietnamese royal dynasty. Banh day or banh giay is a flat, round, white rice cake. It’s traditionally wrapped in banana leaves and served with a type of Vietnamese sausage. Banh chung is a rice cake made of glutinous rice, pork, mung beans, and other ingredients. Mut Another traditional food associated with the Vietnamese New Year is candied fruit called Mut. These snacks are traditionally served to guests while they wait for the meal to begin. Mut generally consists of pumpkins, apples, ginger root, and oranges, as well as other regional plants and fruits. Thit Heo Kho More tropical regions of Vietnam serve dishes with a base of coconut milk and oil. One example of this is Thit Heo Kho pork stewed in coconut milk. Pickled vegetables Traditional Tet food often comes paired with pickled vegetables, which aid in the digestion of the richer ingredients. Pickled produce may include green sprouts, carrots, turnips, and leeks. Gifts Tet is a time of immense gratitude and generosity. To set the year off on the right foot, individuals and families go out of their ways to give gifts and spread good fortune. Symbolic plants As mentioned above, several plants play a key role in Tet celebrations. Plants like flowering peach and kumquat trees and sell out fast in the days before Tet begins. If you can get your hands on one, a fruit tree like this makes for a valuable Tet gift. Money During Tet, many children receive a gift of money. It comes wrapped in a red envelope, which is thought to ward off evil spirits. The money always comes in even denominations, as odd numbers are thought to bring bad luck. Food One of the most traditional gifts you can give for Tet is the gift of a good meal. Households often invite guests in for a feast and serve snacks—Mut—as the guests wait. Dress The key to dressing for the holiday of Tet is wearing bright colors. Specifically, the colors red and yellow are believed to bring good luck and fortune. Bright blue, green, and other colors are also acceptable. The one thing to avoid when dressing for Tet is wearing black and white. Black and white are the colors traditionally worn to a Vietnamese funeral. You should avoid wearing them during the celebratory holiday of Tet. Ancestors Part of ensuring good luck and positive energy in the upcoming year is showing gratitude to the ancestors. That’s why many families and individuals take the opportunity, during their days off for Tet, to visit their loved ones’ gravesites. It’s common to see the people of Vietnam cleaning gravestones and tending to the graves of their ancestors during Tet, as well as making offerings to ancestral altars. Celebrating Tet Worldwide Tet is a fascinating festival, and its focus on ancestral worship provides an example of acknowledging death in different cultures. And even if you’re not visiting Vietnam this lunar new year, you can still celebrate the spirit of Tet wherever you are. The underlying message of Tet is positivity and ringing in the new year as best you can. Mark this lunar new year by showing gratitude to friends and family—whether living or dead. You can even prepare for Tet with some spring cleaning and by preparing traditional Tet foods. If you're looking for more on lunar celebrations around the world, read our guide on the Tibetan New Year, Losar. Sources “The meaning of Tet Festival.” “Celebrating Tết The history of Bánh Dầy & Bánh Chưng.” WKTV Journal. 19 January 2017. “Tet Nguyen Dan The Vietnamese New Year.” Queens Botanical Garden. thuypham9097Chưa có nhómTrả lời7Điểm307Cảm ơn6Tiếng AnhLớp 610 điểm thuypham9097 - 211331 06/12/2019Fill in the blank with a suitable word I think Tet holiday í the 1....... important celebration in VN because it is an occasion for family-reunion,for human love and for better of 2........ seem to forget the hatred,bad lucks and then try to be nice 3....... is eager to take4........in many special activities,which are expected to bring5.....lucks and success in my New Year .Tet is also the time for us to relax and enjoy our special foods ,6......atmosphere 7.........a hard-working yearHỏi chi tiếtBáo vi phạmHãy luôn nhớ cảm ơn và vote 5* nếu câu trả lời hữu ích nhé!TRẢ LỜInguyenthanChưa có nhómTrả lời64Điểm47Cảm ơn52I think Tet holiday is the most important celebration in Vietnam because it is an occasion for family-reunion, for human love and for better hope. All of us seem to forget the hatred, bad lucks and then try to be nice with others. Everyone is eager to take part in many special activities, which are expected to bring good lucks and success in the New Year. Tet is also the time for us to relax and enjoy our special foods, warm family atmosphere after a hard-working giúp mọi người biết câu trả lời này thế nào?starstarstarstarstarstarstarstarstarstarstarstarstarstarstarstarstarstarstarstarstarstars votechinghianguyen80The Legendary Knights of KnowledgeTrả lời165Điểm1350Cảm ơn190chinghianguyen8020/12/2021I think Tet holiday is the 1most important celebration in Vietnam because it is an occasion for family-reunion, for human love and for better hope. All of 2us seem to forget the hatred, bad lucks and then try to be nice 3with others. Everyone is eager to take 4part in many special activities, which are expected to bring 5good lucks and success in the New Year. Tet is also the time for us to relax and enjoy our special foods, 6warm family atmosphere 7after a hard-working giúp mọi người biết câu trả lời này thế nào?starstarstarstarstarstarstarstarstarstarstarstarstarstarstarstarstarstarstarstarstarstarstarstarstarstarstarstarstarstar5starstarstarstarstar1 vote

i think tet holiday is the most important celebration