Tết (), short for Tết Nguyên Đán (

Chữ Hán Chữ Hán (𡨸漢, literally "Chinese characters", ), Chữ Nho (𡨸儒, literally "Confucian characters", ) or Hán tự (漢字, ), is the Vietnamese term for Chinese characters, used to write Văn ngôn (which is a form of Classical Chinese ...

: 節元旦), Spring Festival, Lunar New Year, or Vietnamese Lunar New Year is one of the most important celebrations in

Vietnamese culture The culture of Vietnam (Vietnamese: Văn hoá Việt Nam) is highly multicultural. The early culture in Vietnam started with the Bronze Age Dong Son culture, Đông Sơn culture considered to be one of its most important progenitors for its Anc ...

. The colloquial term "Tết" is a shortened form of , with Old Vietnamese origins meaning "Festival of the First Morning of the First Day". Tết celebrates the arrival of spring based on the

Vietnamese calendar The Vietnamese calendar ( vi, âm lịch; Hán-Nôm: 陰曆) is a lunisolar calendar that is mostly based on the lunisolar Chinese calendar. As Vietnam's official calendar has been the Gregorian calendar since 1954, the Vietnamese calendar is ...

, which usually has the date on January or February in the

Gregorian calendar The Gregorian calendar is the calendar used in most parts of the world. It was introduced in October 1582 by Pope Gregory XIII as a modification of, and replacement for, the Julian calendar. The principal change was to space leap years dif ...

. ''Tết Nguyên Đán'' (Spring Festival or Lunar New Year) is not to be confused with ''

Tết Trung Thu Tết Trung Thu (Chữ Hán: 節中秋) is a traditional Vietnamese festival held from the night of the 14th of the 8th lunar month to the end of the 15th of the 8th lunar month (Rằm tháng Tám). Despite its Chinese origin, recently this fest ...

'' (Mid-Autumn Festival), which is also known as ''Children's Festival'' in Vietnam. ''Tết'' itself only means festival, but is often nominally known as "Lunar New Year Festival" in Vietnamese, as it is often seen as the most important festival amongst the Vietnamese diaspora, with ''Children's Festival'' (Tết Trung Thu) often regarded as the second-most important. Vietnamese people celebrate Tết annually, which is based on a

lunisolar calendar A lunisolar calendar is a calendar in many cultures, combining lunar calendars and solar calendars. The date of Lunisolar calendars therefore indicates both the Moon phase and the time of the solar year, that is the position of the Sun in the ...

(calculating 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), except when the one-hour time difference between

Vietnam Vietnam or Viet Nam ( vi, Việt Nam, ), officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam,., group="n" is a country in Southeast Asia, at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of and population of 96 million, making i ...

and

China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...

results in the

new moon In astronomy, the new moon is the first lunar phase, when the Moon and Sun have the same ecliptic longitude. At this phase, the lunar disk is not visible to the naked eye, except when it is silhouetted against the Sun during a solar eclipse. ...

occurring on different days. It takes place from the first day of the first month of the Vietnamese lunar calendar (around late January or early February) until at least the third day. Tết is also an occasion for pilgrims and family reunions. They set aside the trouble of the past year and hope for a better and happier upcoming year. This festival can also be referred to as in vernacular Vietnamese, (festival - lễ hội, spring - mùa xuân).

Customs

Vietnamese people usually return to their families during Tết. Some return to worship at the family altar or visit the graves of their ancestors in their homeland. They also clear up the graves of their families as a sign of respect. Although Tết is a national holiday among all Vietnamese, each region and religion has its own customs. Many

Vietnamese Vietnamese may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to Vietnam, a country in Southeast Asia ** A citizen of Vietnam. See Demographics of Vietnam. * Vietnamese people, or Kinh people, a Southeast Asian ethnic group native to Vietnam ** Overse ...

and Hoa people prepare for Tết by cooking special holiday food and doing house cleaning. These foods include , , , , , dried young bamboo soup (), , and

xôi ''Xôi'' () is a savory (''mặn'') or sweet (''ngọt'') Vietnamese dish made from glutinous rice and other ingredients. Xôi is a common on-the-go breakfast item, and a popular snack nationwide. Although it is often served as a breakfast or de ...

(

sticky rice Glutinous rice (''Oryza sativa var. glutinosa''; also called sticky rice, sweet rice or waxy rice) is a type of rice grown mainly in Southeast and East Asia, and the northeastern regions of South Asia, which has opaque grains, very low amylose ...

). Many customs and traditions are practiced during Tết, such as visiting a person's house on the first day of the new year (),

ancestor worship The veneration of the dead, including one's ancestors, is based on love and respect for the deceased. In some cultures, it is related to beliefs that the dead have a continued existence, and may possess the ability to influence the fortune of t ...

, exchanging New Year's greetings, giving lucky money to children and elderly people, opening a shop, visiting relatives, friends, and neighbors. Tết can be divided into three periods, known as ''Tất Niên'' 畢年 (penultimate New Year's Eve), ''Giao Thừa'' 交承 (New Year's Eve), and ''Tân Niên'' 新年 (the New Year), representing the preparation before Tết, the eve of Tết, and the days of and following Tết, respectively.

The New Year in Tet

The first day of Tết is reserved for the nuclear family. Children receive

red envelope In East and Southeast Asian cultures, a red envelope, red packet or red pocket () is a monetary gift given during holidays or for special occasions such as a wedding, a graduation, or the birth of a baby. Although the red envelope was populari ...

s containing money from their elders. This tradition is called ''mừng tuổi'' (happy new age) in the North region and ''lì xì'' in the South region. Usually, children wear their new clothes and give their elders the traditional Tết greetings before receiving money. Since the Vietnamese believe that the first visitor who a family receives in the year determines their fortune for the entire year, people never enter any house on the first day without being invited first. The action of being the first person to enter a house at Tết is called ''xông đất'', ''xông nhà'', or ''đạp đất'', which is one of the most important rituals during Tết. According to Vietnamese tradition, if good things come to a family on the first day of the lunar New Year, the entire following year will also be full of blessings. Usually, a person of good temper, morality, and success will be a lucky sign for the host family and be first invited into his house. However, just to be safe, the owner of the house will leave the house a few minutes before midnight and come back just as the clock strikes midnight to prevent anyone else from entering the house first who might potentially bring any unfortunate events in the new year, to the household. Sweeping during Tết is taboo, or ''xui'' (unlucky), since it symbolizes sweeping the luck away; that is why they clean before the new year. It is also taboo for anyone who experienced a recent loss of a family member to visit anyone else during Tết. During subsequent days, people visit relatives and friends. Traditionally but not strictly, the second day of Tết is usually reserved for friends, while the third day is for teachers, who command respect in Vietnam. Local

Buddhist Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and ...

temples are popular spots because people like to give donations and get their fortunes told during Tết. Children are free to spend their new money on toys or on

gambling Gambling (also known as betting or gaming) is the wagering of something of value ("the stakes") on a random event with the intent of winning something else of value, where instances of strategy are discounted. Gambling thus requires three el ...

games such as '' bầu cua cá cọp'', which can be found in the streets. Prosperous families can pay for dragon dancers to perform at their house. Also, public performances are given for everyone to watch.

Traditional celebrations

These celebrations can last from a day up to the entire week, and the New Year is filled with people in the streets trying to make as much noise as possible using firecrackers, drums, bells, gongs, and anything they can think of to ward off evil spirits. This parade will also include different masks and dancers hidden under the guise of what is known as the ''múa lân ''or

lion dancing F Lion dance () is a form of traditional dance in Chinese culture and other Asian countries in which performers mimic a lion's movements in a lion costume to bring good luck and fortune. The lion dance is usually performed during the Chinese New Y ...

. The ''lân'' is an animal between a lion and a dragon and is the symbol of strength in the Vietnamese culture that is used to scare away evil spirits. After the parade, families, and friends come together to have a feast of traditional Vietnamese dishes and share the happiness and joy of the New Year with one another. This is also the time when the elders will hand out red envelopes with money to the children for good luck in exchange for Tết greetings. It is also a tradition to pay off your debts before the Vietnamese New Year for some Vietnamese families.

Decorations

Traditionally, each family displays '' cây nêu'', an artificial

New Year tree New Year trees are decorated trees similar to Christmas trees that are displayed to specifically celebrate the New Year. They should not be confused with the practice of leaving up a Christmas tree until after New Year's Day (traditionally until ...

consisting of a

bamboo Bamboos are a diverse group of evergreen perennial flowering plants making up the subfamily Bambusoideae of the grass family Poaceae. Giant bamboos are the largest members of the grass family. The origin of the word "bamboo" is uncertain, bu ...

pole long. The top end is usually decorated with many objects, depending on the locality, including good luck charms,

origami ) is the Japanese art of paper folding. In modern usage, the word "origami" is often used as an inclusive term for all folding practices, regardless of their culture of origin. The goal is to transform a flat square sheet of paper into a f ...

fish, cactus branches, and more. At Tết, every house is usually decorated by Yellow Apricot blossoms (''hoa mai'') in the central and southern parts of Vietnam, peach blossoms (''hoa đào'') in the northern part of Vietnam, or

St. John's wort ''Hypericum perforatum'', known as St. John's wort, is a flowering plant in the family Hypericaceae and the type species of the genus ''Hypericum''. Possibly a hybrid between ''Hypericum maculatum, H. maculatum'' and ''Hypericum attenuatum, H. ...

(''hoa ban'') in the mountain areas. In the north, some people (especially the elite in the past) also decorate their house with

plum blossoms ''Prunus mume'' is an East Asian and Southeast Asian tree species classified in the ''Armeniaca'' section of the genus ''Prunus'' subgenus ''Prunus''. Its common names include Chinese plum, Japanese plum, and Japanese apricot. The flower, lon ...

(also called ''hoa mơ'' in Vietnamese but referring to a totally different species from mickey-mouse blossoms). In the north or central, the

kumquat Kumquats (; zh, 金桔), or cumquats in Australian English, are a group of small fruit-bearing trees in the flowering plant family Rutaceae. Their taxonomy is disputed. They were previously classified as forming the now-historical genus ''For ...

tree is a popular decoration for the living room during Tết. Its many fruits symbolize fertility and fruitfulness which the family hopes in the coming year. Vietnamese people also decorate their homes with

bonsai Bonsai ( ja, 盆栽, , tray planting, ) is the Japanese art of growing and training miniature trees in pots, developed from the traditional Chinese art form of ''penjing''. Unlike ''penjing'', which utilizes traditional techniques to produce ...

and flowers such as

chrysanthemums Chrysanthemums (), sometimes called mums or chrysanths, are flowering plants of the genus ''Chrysanthemum'' in the family Asteraceae. They are native to East Asia and northeastern Europe. Most species originate from East Asia and the center ...

(''hoa cúc''), marigolds (''vạn thọ'') symbolizing longevity,

cockscombs A comb is a fleshy growth or crest on the top of the head of some gallinaceous birds, such as domestic chickens. The alternative name cockscomb (with several spelling variations) reflects the fact that combs are generally larger on cock birds t ...

(''mào gà'') in southern Vietnam, and paperwhites (''thủy tiên'') and

pansies The garden pansy (''Viola'' × ''wittrockiana'') is a type of large-flowered hybrid plant cultivated as a garden flower. It is derived by hybridization from several species in the section ''Melanium'' ("the pansies") of the genus ''Viola'', p ...

(''hoa lan'') in northern Vietnam. In the past, there was a tradition where people tried to make their paperwhites bloom on the day of the observance. They also hung up Dong Ho paintings and '' thư pháp''

calligraphy Calligraphy (from el, link=y, καλλιγραφία) is a visual art related to writing. It is the design and execution of lettering with a pen, ink brush, or other writing instrument. Contemporary calligraphic practice can be defined as "t ...

pictures.

Greetings

The traditional greetings are "''Chúc Mừng Năm Mới''" (祝𢜠𢆥㵋, Happy New Year) and "''Cung Chúc Tân Xuân''", (恭祝新春, gracious wishes of the new spring). People also wish each other prosperity and luck. Common wishes for Tết include the following: *''Sống lâu trăm tuổi'': (𤯩𥹰𤾓歲, Live long for a hundred years!): used by children for elders. Traditionally, everyone is considered one year older on Tết, so children would wish their grandparents health and longevity in exchange for ''mừng tuổi'' 𢜠歲 or ''lì xì'' 利市 (SV: lợi thị). *''An khang thịnh vượng'': (安康興旺, security, good health, and prosperity) *''Vạn sự như ý'': (萬事如意, may things go your way) *''Sức khỏe dồi dào'': (飭劸洡𤁠, Plenty of health!) *''Làm ăn tấn tới'': (爫咹晉𬧐, Be successful at work!) *''Tiền vô như nước:'' (錢𠓺如渃, May money flow in like water!). Used informally. *''Cung hỉ phát tài'': (恭喜發財, Congratulations and best wishes for a prosperous New Year!) *''Năm mới thắng lợi mới'': (𢆥㵋勝利㵋, New year, new triumphs!; often heard in political speech) *''Chúc hay ăn chóng lớn'': (祝𫨩咹𢶢𡘯, Eat well, grow quick!; aimed at children) *''Năm mới thăng quan tiến chức'': (𢆥㵋陞官進織, I wish for you to be promoted in the new year!) *''Năm mới toàn gia bình an'': (𢆥㵋全家平安, I wish that the new year will bring health and peace to your family!)

Food

In the Vietnamese language, to celebrate Tết is to ''ăn Tết'', literally meaning "eat Tết", showing the importance of food in its celebration. Some of the food is also eaten year-round, while other dishes are only eaten during Tết. Also, some of the food is vegetarian since it is believed to be good luck to eat vegetarian on Tết. Some traditional foods on Tết include the following: Ho_Chi_Minh_Trip-197

* ''

Bánh chưng ''Bánh chưng'' is a traditional Vietnamese food which is made from glutinous rice, mung beans, pork and other ingredients. Its origin is told by the legend of Lang Liêu, a prince of the last king of the Sixth Hùng Dynasty, who became the ...

'' and '' bánh tét'': essentially tightly packed

with meat or bean fillings wrapped in ''dong'' ('' Phrynium placentarium'') leaves. When these leaves are unavailable, banana leaves can be used as a substitute. One difference between them is their shape. ''Bánh chưng'' is the square-shaped one to represent the Earth, while ''bánh tét'' is cylindrical to represent the moon. Also, ''bánh chưng'' is more popular in the northern parts of Vietnam, ''bánh tét'' is more popular in the south. Preparation can take days. After molding them into their respective shapes (the square shape is achieved using a wooden frame), they are boiled for several hours to cook. The story of their origins and their connection with Tết is often recounted to children while cooking them overnight. * ''Hạt dưa'': roasted

watermelon Watermelon (''Citrullus lanatus'') is a flowering plant species of the Cucurbitaceae family and the name of its edible fruit. A scrambling and trailing vine-like plant, it is a highly cultivated fruit worldwide, with more than 1,000 varieti ...

seeds, also eaten during Tết * ''Dưa hành'': pickled onion and pickled cabbage * ''Củ kiệu'': pickled small leeks * ''Mứt'': These dried candied fruits are rarely eaten at any time besides Tết. * '' Kẹo dừa'': coconut candy * ''Kẹo mè xửng'': peanut brittle with sesame seeds or peanuts * ''Cầu sung dừa Đủ xoài'': In southern Vietnam, popular fruits used for offerings at the family altar in fruit arranging art are the

custard-apple Custard apple is a common name for a fruit and for the tree that bears it, '' Annona reticulata.'' The tree’s fruits vary in shape; they may be heart-shaped, spherical, oblong or irregular. Their size ranges from 7 to 12 cm (2.8 to 4.7 ...

/ sugar-apple/ soursop (''mãng cầu''),

coconut The coconut tree (''Cocos nucifera'') is a member of the palm tree family ( Arecaceae) and the only living species of the genus ''Cocos''. The term "coconut" (or the archaic "cocoanut") can refer to the whole coconut palm, the seed, or the ...

(''dừa''), goolar fig (''sung''),

papaya The papaya (, ), papaw, () or pawpaw () is the plant species ''Carica papaya'', one of the 21 accepted species in the genus ''Carica'' of the family Caricaceae. It was first domesticated in Mesoamerica, within modern-day southern Mexico and ...

(''đu đủ''), and

mango A mango is an edible stone fruit produced by the tropical tree ''Mangifera indica''. It is believed to have originated in the region between northwestern Myanmar, Bangladesh, and northeastern India. ''M. indica'' has been cultivated in South a ...

(''xoài''), since they sound like "''cầu sung vừa đủ xài''" ( epray for enough oney/resources/funds/goods/etc.to use) in the southern dialect of Vietnamese. * ''Thịt kho nước dừa'' Meaning "meat stewed in coconut juice", is a traditional dish of pork belly and medium boiled eggs stewed in a broth-like sauce made overnight of young coconut juice and ''

nuoc mam Fish sauce is a liquid condiment made from fish or krill that have been coated in salt and fermented for up to two years. It is used as a staple seasoning in East Asian cuisine and Southeast Asian cuisine, particularly Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, ...

''. It is often eaten with pickled bean sprouts and chives, and white rice. * ''Xôi gấc'': a red sticky rice made from

gac GAC or Gac may refer to: Companies and organisations * GAC Group, a Chinese automotive company based in Guangzhou, Guangdong * GAC Ireland, an Irish bus manufacturer established with Bombardier (1980–1986) * Games Administration Committee, ...

fruit, typically paired with chả lụa (the most common type of

sausage A sausage is a type of meat product usually made from ground meat—often pork, beef, or poultry—along with salt, spices and other flavourings. Other ingredients, such as grains or breadcrumbs may be included as fillers or extenders. ...

Vietnamese cuisine Vietnamese cuisine encompasses the foods and beverages of Vietnam. Meals feature a combination of five fundamental tastes ( vi, ngũ vị, links=no, label=none): sweet, salty, bitter, sour, and spicy. The distinctive nature of each dish reflec ...

, made of

pork Pork is the culinary name for the meat of the domestic pig (''Sus domesticus''). It is the most commonly consumed meat worldwide, with evidence of pig husbandry dating back to 5000 BCE. Pork is eaten both freshly cooked and preserved; ...

and traditionally wrapped in

banana leaves The banana leaf is the leaf of the banana plant, which may produce up to 40 leaves in a growing cycle. The leaves have a wide range of applications because they are large, flexible, waterproof and decorative. They are used for cooking, wrappin ...

Forms of entertainment

People enjoy traditional games during Tết, including '' bầu cua cá cọp'', '' cờ tướng'', ''ném còn'', ''chọi trâu'', and ''đá gà''. They also participate in some competitions presenting their knowledge, strength, and aestheticism, such as the bird competition and ''ngâm thơ'' competition. Fireworks displays have also become a traditional part of a Tết celebration in Vietnam. During New Year's Eve, fireworks displays at major cities, such as

Hà Nội Hanoi or Ha Noi ( or ; vi, Hà Nội ) is the capital and second-largest city of Vietnam. It covers an area of . It consists of 12 urban districts, one district-leveled town and 17 rural districts. Located within the Red River Delta, Hanoi is ...

Ho Chi Minh City , population_density_km2 = 4,292 , population_density_metro_km2 = 697.2 , population_demonym = Saigonese , blank_name = GRP (Nominal) , blank_info = 2019 , blank1_name = – Total , blank1_ ...

, and Da Nang, are broadcast through multiple national and local TV channels, accompanied by New Year wishes of the incumbent president. In 2017 only, fireworks displays were prohibited due to political and financial reasons. In 2021, due to the COVID-19 epidemic, most provinces and cities canceled the fireworks displays; instead, the displays were only held in

and several provinces with public gatherings prohibited. In

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...

& the United States, there are fireworks displays at many of its festivals, although in 2021 they were either held virtually or canceled. ''

Gặp nhau cuối năm (), is a Vietnamese annual TV satirical comedy that is broadcast across all channels of the Vietnamese national broadcaster Vietnam Television (VTV) on Lunar New Year's Eve, and produced by the Vietnam Television Film Center (VFC). The sho ...

'' ("Year-end meet") is a nationally known satirical theatrical comedy show, broadcast on VTV on New Year's Eve.

Dates in the lunar calendar

From 1996 to 2067.

References

External links

Tet Nguyen Dan: The Vietnamese New Year
-

Queens Botanical Garden Queens Botanical Garden is a botanical garden located at 43-50 Main Street in Flushing, Queens, New York City. The site features rose, bee, herb, wedding, and perennial gardens; an arboretum; an art gallery; and a LEED-certified Visitor & Adm ...

Vietnamese New Year customs

Tet Holiday

- Hồ Ngọc Đức, Leipzig University.
Tết - Vietnamese Lunar New Year Traditions

Tet Festival
Orange County Fairgrounds, Costa Mesa, CA
Tet on Phu Quoc Island
on Vietnam's largest island
TếtFestival

San Francisco

Vietnamese New Year – Learn about the traditions and customs of the Tet Holiday
{{DEFAULTSORT:Tet New Year celebrations Public holidays in Vietnam Festivals in Vietnam Buddhist holidays Vietnamese words and phrases January observances February observances Observances honoring the dead Observances set by the Vietnamese calendar Buddhist festivals in Vietnam Observances held on the new moon