Tet Nguyen Dan, translated to mean "the first morning of the first day," or Tet for short is on Sunday February 10th, marking the first day of Vietnamese New year. Tet is the Vietnamese version of the Lunar New Year. 2013 is the year of the snake. Tet is considered the biggest and most popular festival of the year in VN, and is celebrated on the first day of the month in Lunar Calendar. The Vietnamese, around this time, express their respect and remembrance of their ancestors and also welcome the new year with their family.
How is Tet celebrated?
Tet is seen as the time to rid the bad luck of the old year. People spend days cleaning their homes and decorating, preparing for the new year. Gifts are exchanged between family members, friends, and relatives. Children often receive lucky money, called "li xi" that is kept in a red envelope. It is a token of luck and best wishes. People celebrate with foods such as banh chung/banh tet, boiled chicken, pickled onions, mung bean pudding, vietnamese sausage (gio cha), red sticky rice (xoi gac), and roasted nuts and seeds. If you do not know already, the colors representing the holiday are red and yellow. The Vietnamese believe that the colors red and yellow will bring good fortune.
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| Assorted Examples of contemporary red envelopes |
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| Xoi Gac |
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| Sweets |
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| Banh Tet |
2013: Year of the Snake
2013 will bring love, peace and prosperity. The Vietnamese believe that the upcoming 2013 will be a wealthy year.
Hope everyone has an awesome Tet with their family and friends. Chuc Mung Nam Moi!
Check out this video if you're still curious:
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