TET VIETNAM

The increasing competition and burgeoning development needs in the first decades of the 21^st century have dragged people into such a bustling and busy life. People sometimes concentrate too much on pursuing material temptations to understand and feel the true values of this life.

Fortunately, there always comes a time of the year which is slow and warm enough to make people temporarily forget their daily-life pressure. At this time, the rushing pace of life seems to be slower; and it is “Tet” occasion I would like to mention here. In many people’s mind,   the profound significances of “Tet”, together with all the traditions and customs attached to this occasion, are what make the soul of every Vietnamese warm-hearted  and make Vietnam truly Vietnamese.

Tet is a traditional occasion to celebrate the Lunar New Year, therefore Tet often happens between late January and early February according to Gregorian calendar. The preparations including redecorating houses; buying new clothes for children, necessary foods, cakes and candies, jams to welcome and celebrate Tet are indispensable activities and often range from two weeks to even a month.

Besides those preparations, making Chung cakes (sticky rice square cake) – a traditional custom held by generations of Vietnamese people since King Hung found the country - is considered as a completely important activity before Tet officially comes and a point of Vietnamese cuisine.  The beautiful and delicious “Chung” cakes are made of these ingredients: glutinous rice, pork, and green bean carefully wrapped in “Dong” leaves. To create the best “Chung” cakes, it is Vietnamese’s habit to cook them under the fire of wooden.  Family members and neighbors often assist each other in the process of making and cooking “Chung” cakes, which helps raises the fun and significances to the whole of “Tet” occasion.

Decorating the altar is also a beauty in the culture of TET. The altar is clearly cleaned and on the altar, Vietnamese people often put a pair of “Chung” cake; vases of peach, apricot and typical flowers of the weather when “TET” and spring comes like daisies, lilies, gerberas; the colorful boxes of cakes, candies and jam; and fruit tray with 5 different fruits depending on every region and ethnic.

The word "Five" in "five-fruit-tray" expresses for five basic elements called “Metal” – “Plant” – “Water” – “Fire” and “Land” respectively. These five factors are said to have constituted the universe in the concept of Confucianism. Commonly, Vietnamese people use 5 fruits with 5 different colors to arrange the five-fruit-tray such as a bunch of green bananas, persimmons, tangerine, grapefruit (which can be replaced by papaya) and apples. A bunch of green bananas symbolizes for the images of hands spreading out to seize success. Similarly, luck is represented by the persimmons or tangerines. Happiness is characterized by a succulent grapefruit; the sufficiency is hidden in the papaya while apple is a symbol of prosperity.

New Year’s Eve - when everyone returns home to enjoy Tet with their cherished family and relatives, is a time for reunion. People, both the young and the old, make resolutions for themselves to carry out during the New Year. These resolutions can vary from trivial things such as breaking themselves of a negative habit to more ambitious ones like getting promotions in career. When the 0:00 o’clock bell rang, people give their beloved ones the dearest wishes, enjoy the firework performance together, and expect a promising and glorious year for themselves and their family.

On the first day of Tet, activities usually start late. Family members gather together for the first meal of the New Year. The traditional dishes imbued with Vietnamese identity - the symbols of good luck and success such as “Chung” cake, glass noodles, chicken, pickled onions and jellied pork are elaborately prepared and excellently cooked, contributing remarkably to the significance of “TET”. People also visit pagodas to pray for a healthy, peaceful, happy, wealthy and prosperous year for the entire family.

An additional feature that amounts to the uniqueness of Tet is the custom of asking for lucky words, sentences or sincere wishes. Old calligraphists often give passers-by meaningful words, sentences or wishes written in black ink on crimson paper. It is widely acknowledged that hanging that extraordinary kind of art form at home will bring the family luck and peace in the New Year.

In Vietnamese people’ mind, TET is an occasion for family reunion, visiting relatives, teachers and friends after such a busy year that we spend just little time for each other. Therefore, Tet is a chance to narrow the gap among people and connect people together. People send each other the best wishes. Adult award children the red envelopes with lucky money inside them and children cross their arms, bowed their heads and say “Thank you” before spreading their pretty lovely little hands to receive the first buds from adults.

TET is considered as one of the happiest and most important time of the year, which helps increase the attractiveness of Vietnamese culture. Therefore, people all try to forget all their sadness to comfortably enjoy their TET holiday with their family and their friends.