Is Tet for everyone to enjoy?
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Dear readers,
The Lunar New Year is just a few days away.
Are you feeling the Tet atmosphere now? Cheerful Tet songs are playing loudly in every store. Many teenagers are flocking in downtown flower markets, happily taking picture with their friends.
Ong do or scholars are spotted on sidewalks writing beautiful calligraphy. People are busy shopping, picking the most beautiful flowers and freshest fruits to decorate at home.
Similar to Christmas in western countries, Tet is the time for family reunion in Vietnam. It is when people working far away from home come back and meet their parents, relatives and enjoy dishes cooked by mom.
Some traditional home-cooked Tet dishes are thit dong (jellied meat), chan gio ninh mang (pig trotters stewed with bamboo shoot) or the simple hanh muoi (Salted sour Onion).
And did you know that Tet food is different by regions? Tet’s holiday banquet in northern Vietnam is normally very formal with a lot of dishes. Xoi gac or steamed glutinous rice is commonly seen on table of Northern household. Meanwhile, “banh tet” - cylindric glutinous rice cake is a distinguishing dish of central Vietnam.
Last but not least, Thit kho hot vit (pork braised with coconut milk) and Canh kho qua (bitter melon soup) are simple but indispensible dishes that most southern mothers cook during the Lunar New Year.
Many celebrate Tet by playing games, most common is cards game. It is easy, fun to play and can create bonds between family members. However, if you bet too high, you may be gambling instead of having fun.
And make sure you respect thy neighbors by not making too loud noise to ensure everyone can enjoy Tet. Do not repeat the case of Jonathan, who was frustrated by the noise from spontaneous casinos by his neighbor during Tet holiday.
“Isn’t it paradoxical when others are enjoying their Tet holidays and my family have to suffer from the noises?” wondered Jonathan.
For many foreigners, Tet may be the time to leave Vietnam and fly to a neighboring country, lying on an exotic beach.
“As our extended families are out of the country, we do not generally recognize Tet as a time to spend with the family; for Westerners, this is usually attributed to Christmas.
dditionally, shops close, and due to the trend of foreigners flying out for Tet, if a foreigner does spend Tet in Vietnam, unless they know a Vietnamese family, they will likely find themselves simply watching a lot of movies alone at home,” Malcolm from Australia explained why many foreigners get away on Tet.
He continued to suggest some ideas that Vietnam can apply to keep foreigners stay during the national holiday:
“If Vietnam would like to attract foreigners to Vietnam for Tet, and retain the money of the expatriates living here, it would need to re-vamp its image of Tet. Just as Tet is currently recognized as a time when the city goes to sleep, creating a trend for planning holidays abroad, Tet could be reinvented as a time when the city comes alive. A time for color, street parades and festivities.”
One thing we’re sure is that Tet this year is more fun with various activities in city center and there are now convenience stores open during holidays. Check out our Where to go page and Tet articles for guidelines packed with events throughout Lunar New Year.
And make sure you keep checking our site during Tet holiday because we will be updating hot articles reflecting Tet celebrations all over the country.
Happy Tet to everyone!
