Tet Holiday – Vietnam Traditional Lunar New Year

Tet Nguyen Dan, more commonly known by its shortened name Tet, is the most important and popular holiday and festival in Vietnam. It is the Vietnamese New Year marking the arrival of spring based on the Lunar calendar. The name Tet Nguyen Dan is Sino-Vietnamese for Feast of the First Morning. 

The dates of Lunar New Year differs every year but it generally takes place around late January or February. Because of the fact that Vietnamese families are so close-knitted, Tet Holiday is considered the best occassion for family members to return home and get together. During Tet, Vietnamese spend time shopping for the New Year, go to Pagodas and Temples. The items of shopping range from food to clothing to decorations for the house. The Vietnamese believe that Tet Holiday is an occasion to enjoy life after a full hard-working year, thus people forget their struggles and focus on making the celebration as festive as possible. Due to the high regard in which people hold it, Tet, as often as not, is consumed with unique, distinctive colors and flavors. Let’s take a look at some traditions and customs typical of this special holiday in Vietnam. 

Food 

Chung cake (Sticky square cake) 

Chung cake is a food made from glutinous rice, mung bean and pork, added with many other ingredients. Chung cake is covered by green leaves (usually banana leaves) and symbolizes the Earth, invented by the prince Lang Liêu from Hùng King dynasty. Besides traditional reason, Chung cake is chosen as the main food for Tet holiday because of it can last long for days in Vietnamese weather (Banh Chung can survive at room temperature for nearly 1 month). 

Gio, cha (Vietnamese sausage) 

Giò chả (Vietnamese ham/sausage) is another traditional food in Tet holiday, and usually served with Xôi (sticky rice) and Chung cake. Giò is different from Chả since Giò is boiled and Chả is deep-fried. Chả is also made of lean pork and ingredients, but Chả is not wrapped by leaves and boiled but deep-fried in oil. 

Braised Pork Belly with Duck Egg 

This dish is more popularly enjoyed in the South than in the North, however, noone can deny the irresistable aroma, flavor and the amazing compatibility of this dish with a bowl of steaming rice. The Pork Belly and Egg is cooked with coconut juice and fish sauce until it becomes tender and absorb all those amazing flavor. The dish is so universal and easy to make that it has become one of the most popular dishes served during Tet Holiday. 

Jam 

Tet jam is not a food to serve in a meal during Tet holiday, but more like a snack to welcome guests in this special period. This once-in-year mix of snack is very large in variety, with so many tastes: ginger, carrot, coconut, pineapple, pumpkin, lotus seed, star fruit, etc. 

Pickled Onions 

On the Tet holiday, people often eat fat 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 distiches. 

Vietnamese Zodiac Signs 

Each 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 2021 is the year of the Buffalo. 

Trees & Flowers on Tet Holiday 

Peach blossom 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 them. 

Tray of Five Fruits 

This 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 arrangements.

Tet tips for travelers

– People from all over the country will return to their hometowns for the Tết holiday, creating heavy demand for bus, train and plane tickets, as well as hotel rooms. If you must travel during this time, try to book transportation and accommodation far in advance.

– With many staff gone home to their families, businesses and restaurants typically shut for at least the first few days of Tết. Expect cities to be quiet during this time, as well as limited dining and shopping options.

– The first few days of Tết are a rare chance to see Vietnam’s big cities empty of noise and traffic. Take advantage of the quiet and explore by bicycle, scooter or on foot.

– You may be invited into a family’s home for Tết which is a huge honour. During Tết, it’s important not to drop by any Vietnamese home without an invitation, as the first guests of the year are specially chosen to bring good luck to each household.

– Warm wishes are much appreciated around and during Tết. On the first days of the new year, smile and say “Chúc Mừng Năm Mới” (Happy New Year) to everyone you see!

Source: studentexchange.vn; vietvisiontravel.com