Vietnamese Lunar New Year customs (Tet Festival customs)

Every year after the hype of Christmas and January 1st holiday passes, the real excitement begins in Vietnam. The people in Vietnam start getting ready for lunar new year. What is much more important holiday for them?

You think Christmas and January first week is important holiday for Vietnam. But wait minute,the real deal for Vietnamese people is Tet Festival.Tet is real deal for them.

Tet like Christmas,New year's eve,Easter and a big birthday party all rolled into one.Before Tet officially starts through,there is lot to be done.Let's have look at what the Vietnamese are up to in their preparation for Tet.

Vietnamese new year (Tet Festival) customs-

Tet Festival Customs 1

Clean and decorate the house.

One of the first preparation steps to welcome Tet holiday is cleaning house.Homes are often cleaned and decorated before new year's day.It is common belief that cleaning in the house will get rid of the bad fortunes associated with the old year.Some people also paint their house and decorated with festive items.As in the most Asian countries,the luckiest colors are red and yellow and this reflected in the traditional decoration for Tet.People would decorate the inside and outside of their homes, and business adorn their shop front windows.

Potted plants,lanterns and other Snick knacks fill the markets to brim weeks before Tet.

Most Important every home and business need a Tet Tree.The Vietnamese version of the Christmas tree.In south trees, yellow blossoms are normal and in the north ,pink is preferred.

Ornaments are hung from their branches and with little luck,the flower will blooms day by new year's day.

Cleaning of the House

Decoration For House

Poster on the wall of house

Tet Festival custom 2

Getting New Clothes.

This is properly most exciting part of Vietnamese new year among the children.Usually purchase new new clothes and new shoes for their children.However children cannot wear their new clothes until the first day of new year.The best outfit always wear on first day of year.

New Clothes

Best Outfits

Test Festival Custom 3

Farewell Ceremony For Kitchen Gods (ONG TAO)

Seven days prior to the Tet.Vietnamese family offers a farewell ceremony for Ong Tao(Kitchen Gods)to go up to Heaven Palace.His task is to make annual report of the families affairs throughout the year and gives report to jade emperor.Interesting vehicle for god is Carp Fish.People said that the bigger is carp is the faster he could reach up the heaven.

Jade Emperor

Corp Fish

Corp Fishes

God Of Kitchen

Tet Festival Custom 4

Plate Of Five Fruits

five fruits sites on the ancestor's altar in every Vietnamese home during the Tet Holiday.The Fruit are Colorful and meaningful,They make new year more lively and sacred.In Asian Methodology.world is made up of five elements metal,wood,water,fire and earth.so the plate of fruit is one of several ways to represent this concept.Traditionally consist of 5 to 8 type of fruits- A bunch of bananas,pomelo,"Buddha's hand"fruit,lemons,oranges,tangerines,apples or persimmons.People choose the best looking fruits and arranged them in pyramid

5 Elements of Earth

Bananas

Pommelo

Buddha's Hand Fruit

Oranges

Lemons

Bunch Of Fruits

Tangerines

Apples

Persimmons

Tet Festival Custom 5

XONG DAT(First Greetings)

XONG DAT IS most sacred time of the year Therefore to offer the first greeting is very important.Since the Vietnamese believes that the first visitor family receives in the year determines the fortune for the entire year.some people would never enter any one house on the first day without being invited.The act of the first person to enter into a house is called Xong Nha or Xong Dat.According to Vietnamese family ,if good things comes to family on the first day of the lunar new year,the entire following year will also be full of blessings.Usually person with good temper,morality and success will be invited in the house first.However just to be safe ,the owner of the house will leave the house a few minutes before a midnight and return home just as clock strikes midnight to prevent anyone entering the house first who might potentially bring an unfortunate events to the household.

Xong Date (First Greeting)

Greetings First

Making a Healthy Holiday Special Traditional Foods.

Making a healthy special holiday food is one of the important custom in Tet Festival.Banh chung is main traditional food is in Tet Festival..Banh chung is square in shape.Square shape of Banh Chung food represents earth.Banh Chung is the sticky rice cake with the pork fillings.Vietnamese desserts are also very famous in the world.If you want to know complete recipe of Traditional Banh Chung Food Click Here-BANH CHUNG.

Banh Chung

Sticky Rice Cake with Bean and Pork Fillings

Tet Festival Custom 7

Buying salt

You think Why so? The proverb of " new year buying salt ,year end  buying lime" reflect the ancient tradition Ending a year to move to the new year,
many people often buying bags of salt wishing relationships are salty,strong and tight.

Salt Packets

Tet Festival Custom 8

Giving Red envelops

This culture practice that has been maintained for generations,It is very common to see older people giving red envelops to younger people.Red envelope symbolise luck and wealth.However always remember to give an small amount of money that ends with even number.Because odd number considered horrible omen for the new year since the traditionally reserved for funerals.

Wishes(Happy Family)

Red Envelops

Tet Festival Custom 9

Visiting PAGODAS AND TEMPLES

Tet is also one of the best time for Vietnamese people to spend time on their spiritual life and pay respect to the religious institutions.Visiting pagodas on the first days of the year has been deep rooted tradition.in Vietnam custom is called Le Chua in which le means not only visiting but also showing in all sincerity to Buddha and gods of temples and pagodas.Mixing one soul with the spiritual spaces,breathing in the aroma of burning incense and flowers help demolishing all stresses and worries of previous years

Religious Institutions

God

Temples In Vietnam

Small Cute Child Praying to God