Lunar New Year, or Tet, is Vietnam’s main holiday. It is the grandest and most important occasion in the year which falls sometime between 19th January and 20th February on the Western calendar. Tet marks the beginning of spring and , for agrarian people, the start of a new year.
Tet’s preparations and celebrations used to be spread over months, but nowadays the holiday is much shorter. A great deal of excitement still builds up well before Tet, however. Streets are decorated with coloured lights and red banners. Shops are full of goods. People are busy buying gifts, cleaning and decorating their houses and cooking traditional foods.
Homes are often decorated with plants and flowers at this time. Peach blossom is traditional at Tet in the North while apricot blossom is traditional in the South. The kumquat tree with its ripe deep orange fruits is popular throughout the country. One of Tet’s most special foods is banh chung, which is made from sticky rice, green beans and fatty pork. Mut, which is candied fruit such as sugared apples, plums or tomatoes, is also popular.
On the days of Tet everyone tries to be nice and polite to each other. People believe that what they do on the first day of the year will influence their luck during the whole year. Thus, only positive comments should be made. People visit other family members or friends, and they exchange New Year’s wishes. Children receive their “lucky money” inside red envelopes. Many people go to the pagoda to pray for a happy year for themselves and their family. Both children and adults take part in games and various forms of entertainment. Tet is really a time of fun and festivals throughout the country.