Tet - Vietnamese New Year
Books, Movies and Music
Journal Articles
Below you will find journal articles on the subject of Vietnamese New Year.
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Spicy Meals for a New Year / Vietnamese celebrate Tet with family banquets and ritual foods
Links
Sequence of the Tet Celebration Tet Nguyen Dan at Web-Holidays
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History
Tet Nguyen Dan, often referred to simply as Tet, is the Vietnamese lunar New Year. The New Year does not fall on the same date each year, although it is always in January or February.
The holiday in Vietnam is officially three days but is often celebrated for seven. This is regarded as one of the most important Vietnamese holidays. Tet Nguyen Dan literally means the first morning of the first day of the new period. It is believed that the course of these few days will determine the path of the coming year. People stop their quarreling, children vow to behave, and families make special efforts to gather together.
Prior to the celebrations homes are cleaned and painted. Cleaning during Tet is avoided so the good luck will not be "swept away." New clothes are purchased and old debts are paid. People go to church or the pagoda and offerings are made to the Kitchen God.
At the midnight hour of the New Years' Eve, Le Tru Tich is held. The spirits of the old year are rushed out and the new spirits are welcomed. The streets are chaotic with everyone banging gongs and sounding off all sorts of noisemakers to scare away evil spirits.
The first person to enter the home after the start of the New Year sets the precedence for the coming year. Many people will arrange to have a child or someone well-off enter the home minutes after the start of the New Year.
Denver Public Library Online ©
Updated: May 16, 2008
