Tết

Tết (Vietnamese: [tet̚˧˦], chữ Hán: 節), short for Tết Nguyên Đán (chữ Hán: 節元旦; lit. 'Feast of the first day'), is the most important celebration in Vietnamese culture. Tết celebrates the arrival of spring, which is on the first day of the first Vietnamese lunisolar month, and usually falls between late January and 20 February in the Gregorian calendar.

Vietnamese people celebrate Tết annually, which is based on a lunisolar calendar that calculates both the motions of Earth around the Sun and of the Moon around Earth. Tết is generally celebrated on the same day as Chinese New Year (also called Spring Festival), with a one-hour time difference between Vietnam and China resulting in the new moon occurring on different days.

Tết is also an occasion for pilgrimages and family reunions. Celebrants set aside the trouble of the past year and hope for a better and happier upcoming new year. This festival can also be referred to as Hội xuân in vernacular Vietnamese, (from lễ hội, "festival", and mùa xuân, "spring").

History

The Lunar New Year holiday came to Vietnam from China when China ruled Vietnam from 111 BC until the 10th century. During this time, Chinese culture strongly shaped Vietnamese traditions. Today, Vietnamese Lunar New Year, called Tết, still uses the lunar calendar and keeps some old Chinese customs, like giving lucky money in red envelopes. But Vietnam also created its own special traditions, such as unique Tết foods. The Vietnamese zodiac includes the Buffalo, Cat, and Goat, which are different from the animals in the Chinese zodiac.

The beginnings of Tết have been studied for many years. Most sources say Tết started during Chinese rule in Vietnam. However, some historical records suggest it might have started earlier. Researchers explain that Tết marks the beginning of the new year and a new farming cycle, starting on the first day of the lunar calendar's first month. Legends, such as the story of Bánh chưng and the Hùng kings, suggest Tết may have been celebrated even before Chinese rule, though there is no strong evidence to prove this.

Name

The name Tết is a shorter way to say Tết Nguyên Đán. This means "the first day of the year." The words come from old Chinese-Vietnamese language.

Usually, the word for festival is lễ hội. This also comes from old Chinese-Vietnamese words.

Customs

In Vietnamese culture, Tết has many special customs and preparations. The holiday has two main parts: the two weeks before the new year, when families get ready, and the first three days of the new year, when people celebrate together. During Tết, many families return home to be with their loved ones. From the 23rd day of the last lunar month until New Year’s Eve, families often visit their ancestors’ graves to show respect. They clean the graves and bring offerings as a way to remember those who came before them.

People also get ready by cooking special foods like bánh tét, bánh chưng, and xôi (sticky rice). Other traditions include visiting friends and family, giving lucky money to children, and enjoying time together. The first day of Tết is special for families, and children often receive red envelopes of money from their elders as a sign of good luck.

During Tết, people decorate their homes with flowers like peach blossoms and Ochna blossoms, and they might hang special artwork on the walls. The holiday is a time for joy, family, and hoping for a good year ahead.

New Year in Tết

The first day of Tết is focused on family. Children wear new clothes and give greetings to their elders, who then give them red envelopes of money. Wearing red is common because it is thought to bring good luck.

It is believed that the first person to visit a home after the new year begins can affect the family’s luck for the whole year. Because of this, families often make sure only good and lucky people are the first to enter their homes. Some families even leave their homes just before midnight and return when the new year officially starts to make sure no one enters before they do.

During the days after the new year begins, people visit friends and relatives. The second day is often for friends, and the third day is for teachers, who are highly respected in Vietnam. Many families also visit Buddhist temples to give donations and learn about their future. Children often use their new money to buy toys or play simple games. Some families even have dragon dancers perform at their homes!

Traditional celebrations

Celebrations can last from one day to a whole week. People fill the streets with noise using firecrackers, drums, and other instruments to scare away bad spirits. There are also parades with dancers and masks, including lion dancing, which is meant to bring good luck. After the parades, families and friends gather for big meals together and share in the happiness of the new year.

It is also a common tradition for families to make sure all debts are paid off before the new year begins.

Decorations

During Tết, homes are decorated with special items to bring good luck. One popular decoration is the cây nêu, an artificial tree made from a tall bamboo pole with decorations on top. Families also use flowers such as peach blossoms, Ochna blossoms, and plum blossoms to decorate their homes. Other popular decorations include Hòn non bộ, chrysanthemums, marigolds, and special paintings or calligraphy from Đông Hồ. These decorations help create a joyful and lucky atmosphere for the new year.

Greetings

The Tết celebration has special greetings people use to wish each other well. Two common greetings are "Chúc mừng năm mới" (happy new year) and "Cung chúc tân xuân" (gracious wishes of the new spring). During Tết, people also wish for good luck and prosperity.

Some popular wishes include:

• Sống lâu trăm tuổi: (Live long for a hundred years!) — children say this to elders.
• An khang thịnh vượng: (Security, good health, and prosperity)
• Vạn sự như ý: (May things go your way)
• Sức khỏe dồi dào: (Plenty of health)
• Làm ăn tấn tới: (Be successful at work)
• Tiền vô như nước: (May money flow in like water)
• Cung hỉ phát tài: (Congratulations and best wishes for a prosperous new year)
• Chúc hay ăn chóng lớn: (Eat well, grow quick!) — aimed at children
• Năm mới toàn gia bình an: (I wish that the new year will bring health and peace to your family!)

Food

During Tết, special foods are very important. In Vietnamese, people say "eat Tết" to show how much food means to the celebration. Some foods are only eaten during Tết, and some of these are vegetarian because it is thought to bring good luck.

Some traditional Tết foods include:

• Bánh chưng and bánh tét: These are made from sticky rice and meat or beans, wrapped in special leaves. Bánh chưng is square, like the Earth, and is popular in the north. Bánh tét is rolled like the moon and is popular in the south. Making them can take days.
• Mứt: These are dried sweet fruits, mostly eaten only during Tết.
• Kẹo dừa: This is a type of coconut candy.
• Kẹo mè xửng: This is a sweet made from peanuts and sesame seeds.
• Cầu sung dừa đủ xoài: In the south, families offer fruits like custard-apple, coconut, gular fig, papaya, and mango on their family altar. These fruits are chosen because their names sound like wishes for enough money and resources.
• Thịt kho nước dừa: This dish is pork belly and eggs cooked in a sauce made from coconut juice. It is usually eaten with pickled beans and rice.
• Xôi gấc: This is red sticky rice made from a special fruit, often served with a type of pork sausage wrapped in banana leaves.

Forms of entertainment

People enjoy many fun activities during Tết. Traditional games like bầu cua cá cọp, cờ tướng, ném còn, chọi trâu, and đá gà are popular. There are also contests where people show their skills, such as bird competitions and ngâm thơ contests.

Fireworks are a big part of Tết celebrations in Vietnam. Major cities like Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and Da Nang have beautiful fireworks shows on New Year's Eve, shown on TV with messages from the incumbent president. Sometimes, fireworks are not held because of special reasons, like during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In places like Australia, Canada, and the United States, there are also fireworks at festivals. One popular show in the United States is Paris by Night.

In the past, people used firecrackers at home, but this was stopped because of safety concerns. Now, adults can buy sparklers for special events.

Gặp nhau cuối năm is a funny comedy show shown on VTV on New Year's Eve.

Dates in the Vietnamese calendar

Main articles: Vietnamese calendar and Sexagenary cycle

From 2020 to 2043:

Music

In the weeks before Tết, special songs fill the air across Vietnam. One popular song is Ngày Tết Quê Em (Tết in My Homeland), released in 2006 by Linh Trang and Xuan Mai. You can hear this song in many public places.

The song captures important Tết traditions. During Tết, many Vietnamese people travel to their hometowns, just like the lyrics say, “People traveling here and there.” Though not a religious song, it mentions pagodas, special towers used for worship by some religions. Many homes also set up altars during this time.

The song also talks about good luck for the new year. Farmers hope for better harvests, and shop owners expect more customers getting ready for the holiday. Tết marks the beginning of spring and is a time for renewal and hope.