The New Year or “Tet Holiday“ in Vietnam 

Unlike western countries, Vietnam welcomes a new year in the middle of early or mid-February, called " Lunar New Year " or “ Tet Holidays”.  According to the tradition of Vietnamese people, the house should be cleaned and redecorated. And more specifically, the Vietnamese believe that red and yellow brings a lot of fortune and luck.

Food and Rituals

Besides cleaning, the tradition of cooking “ Banh Chung (Savory sticky rice cake) in North Vietnam and “ Banh Tet” in South Vietnam. Main ingredients include: sticky rice, pork, green beans, banana leaves.

Banh Chung ( Left) and Banh Tet ( Right )


The “Tet holiday” is about 2 weeks, during which time workers and students are free to go to work or school. And this is also the time for family members to commemorate the deceased by solemn and beautiful decoration on the altar.





Each family's altar has a different decoration, but in general, important things to have such as "Banh Chung", watermelon, flowers in fresh colors and fruits (mango, papaya, coconut,..) with a wish for the year new to peace.



On the other hand, according to the concept of Asians, adults will give lucky money to children and the elderly in the house.

If children receive the lucky money, they will have to bless first for the person who gave the lucky money, while for the elderly the person who received the lucky money will have to bless them.

Furthermore, during Tet the common dishes in every house will be Pig trotters, Lean pork paste, Pickled small leeks, Roasted watermelon seeds and Dried candied fruits.


Dry Candied Fruits

In short, the Tet Holiday is a time when people take a break after a year of hard work and school. This is also the time when people meet and forgive each other for a very happy new

year.