Tet, regarded as the international New Year, is the biggest celebration in Vietnam. Tet is held to celebrate the arrival of Spring and the begin of a new Year. It lasts from between the months of January to February.

Just like other countries, Vietnamese are eager to welcome this celebration. They say goodbye to the past year and look forward a new one. During this festival, the movement of life seems to be more active and faster. from the noisiest city to the untouched coutrysides, most roads are decorated with plenty of colorful lights, slogan and great greetings. Offices are off from work instead of entertainment activities. Streets are cleared and houses are repainted or renewed. Many beautiful things such as flowers, ornamentals, Tet calendars, trendy clothing…are displayed with aim of selling and exchanging for those who demand.

Traditional Food of Vietnam

If you drop by Vietnam on this special occasion, you can immerse yourself into the eager atmosphere. They do lots of works to prepare for a perfect celebration. Vietnamese has the custom of making Banh Chung or sticky rice cake. It contains sticky rice, pork meat, green bean and various other ingredients. All of them are wrapped inside a special leaf called Dong. This is common and traditional food of Vietnam. Try to enjoy this food and you can easily feel its special taste.

Most people tend to buy new clothes, go out and meet others to send best wishes for a new year. Adults will prepare some red envelopes filled with lucky money and give them away to young people with their wishes of best luck, good health and success for receivers. This custom is called Mung Tuoi or Li Xi. That is used to encourage the young people to learn well and live in harmony with others.

Chung Cake

There are many interesting activities for visitors to enjoy. From the 23rd day of the last Lunar month, you can gain a wide understanding of a ritual worshiping Kitchen Gods. People say that in that day, Kitchen Gods go to the heaven by driving a healthy carp to tell Jade Emperor about the activities of households on earth. After finish this custom, you together Vietnamese can release it to nature. Furthermore, On the New Year’s Eve, Vietnamese people has the plate of five fruits and some foods to worship the ancestors and start enjoying a spectacular celebration. They can gather on TV , watch the Tao Quan show and wait for a feast of fireworks which is directly broadcasted on most channels.

Some other celebrations such as bullfighting festival in Do Son, Giong festival in Soc Son, Hung Temple Festival in Phu Tho, Tran Temple Festival in Ninh Binh are popular and attractive to other visitors from every corner in the world. They are important elements to make an unique cultural identity of Vietnam.

In brief, Tet celebration is really so special event that tourists shouldn’t miss. Try to visit Vietnam on this occasion to understanding more about the culture and people of this historical and once turbulent land.