Tết

Tết‏‎, or Vietnamese New Year, is the most important celebration in Vietnamese culture. The word is a shortened form of Tết Nguyên Đán, which is Sino-Vietnamese for "Feast of the First Morning of the First Day". Tết celebrates the arrival of spring based on the Vietnamese Lunar Calendar, which usually has the date falling in January or February.

History

The history of Tết in Vietnam can be traced back to ancient times in its traditional agricultural society. Tết was when the Vietnamese commemorated the start of spring after a winter of hard work, and to welcome a new year of better harvests. The holiday also has strong connections to several Vietnamese myths, especially the story of Hùng Kings, who are the traditional founders of Vietnam and are worshipped in Vietnamese society as the symbol of national identity.

Customs

Tết is a time for families to clean their houses, cook special holiday foods, and offer prayers to the ancestors as well as the gods of the land. Some of the most common foods prepared during Tết are Bánh chưng and Bánh dày, which are traditional Vietnamese rice cakes, and Giò lụa, a Vietnamese pork roll.

Another important custom of Tết is the giving of Lì xì, or lucky money, to children and the elderly. This is usually given in red envelopes, symbolizing luck and good fortune.

Celebrations

Celebrations of Tết involve the entire community and can last for several days. These include traditional Vietnamese games, the most famous of which is Bầu cua cá cọp, a popular gambling game played during Tết.

See also

• Lunar New Year
• Culture of Vietnam
• Public holidays in Vietnam