Have you ever heard of Tet Nguyen Dan? Not only Chinese people celebrate Chinese New Year, but Vietnamese people also celebrate Chinese New Year.
Tet Nguyen Dan (節元旦) or more commonly known as Tết, is a Vietnamese festival that takes place on the same date as Chinese New Year, but has its own unique meaning and celebration in Vietnam that focuses on ancestor worship, family unity, and rituals that are full of spiritual meaning.
Tet Nguyen Dan, or “the feast of the first morning,” begins the first day of the Lunar New Year and marks the arrival of spring according to the Vietnamese lunar-solar calendar, and falls in late January or early February. Tet can be interpreted as a new cycle of rice planting, and the celebration dates back to the days of Vietnamese settlements in the Red River Delta for its peasant inhabitants.
Today, the celebration is no longer just a new cycle of rice planting and has a much deeper meaning in Vietnamese culture to honor ancestors and strengthen family ties while praying for prosperity and health in the new year.
Preparation of Tet
The main event and festivities of Tet last for about a week, but the preparations from Tet to the peak event last for weeks. Throughout Vietnam, preparations for Tet begin weeks in advance.
It starts with cleaning the house, adding decorations, and tidying up their surroundings. This celebration is characterized by its flower decorations. Houses in the south are decorated with yellow apricot flowers, while houses in the north are decorated with peach flowers.
Every area of the house and office is decorated with Kumquat trees which are believed to symbolize prosperity if the tree grows bigger and bears a lot of fruit. There are also various other decorations such as "Chúc Mng Nm Mi" or Happy New Year.
There are also special dishes that are cooked during Tet preparation and are a must-have during Tet celebrations. These dishes are Banh Chung and Banh Tet.
Banh Chung is a square-shaped sticky rice cake, usually made by families in the north. While Banh Tet is a round-shaped sticky rice cake, made by families in the south. Families and neighbors will gather together until nightfall to make Banh Chung or Banh Tet cakes, and this is part of a long-standing tradition. These dishes also have a place of honor on the family altar.
Three Lucky Colors
Tet is associated with the symbolic use of red, yellow (gold), and green:
- Red symbolizes good luck and happiness. Adults usually give red envelopes (Lì xì) containing money to children and the elderly as a blessing for prosperity.
- Yellow (gold) represents wealth and prosperity. Yellow apricot flowers used as decorations symbolize unity and success in the family.
- Green, associated with hope, renewal, and the balance of Yin and Yang. It is usually symbolized by decorations such as Kumquat Trees and Bamboo, which also symbolize growth and vitality.
Main Events in Tet
There are three main phases that take place during the Tet celebration. Tất Niên or the first phase, is the preparation phase at the end of the year. This tradition takes place on the last day of the lunar year, when Vietnamese people prepare to celebrate the New Year.
These preparations include gathering for meals while cleaning the house, cooking traditional dishes and preparing the altar. This phase is important for all family members who aim to build relationships between generations and get rid of bad luck from the previous year.
Giao Thừa or New Year's Eve phase. Happening at midnight, this is when families will gather to visit temples and focus on offerings to their ancestors. Other celebrations are also held, such as fireworks parties.
Giao Thura is also a time when families must hold open-air ceremonies to welcome the gods (Ong Tao, the Vietnamese Kitchen God) to return to earth after reporting to the God of Heaven.
Tân Niên or New Year phase. Traditionally, the third or first three days of the New Year are dedicated to going to pagodas and temples (Xin Xăm) to pray for health, happiness and good fortune for the coming year by bringing offerings, including flowers, incense and fruits.
Another important tradition carried out during this phase is Xông Đất or the First Journey. This tradition has been passed down from generation to generation and continues with the same enthusiasm to this day.
Traditionally, the first guest or the first person to enter the house after midnight on Chinese New Year’s Eve is believed to bring good fortune to the family throughout the year. To ensure that the first guest brings good fortune, the person chosen must have a good or lucky zodiac sign.
Interpreting New Hope in Tet
Tourists who visit Vietnam during Tet will witness the excitement and hustle and bustle during Tet, seeing families gather to fill the city and countryside areas accompanied by interesting parades in the New Year.
Tet is a time for Vietnamese people to gather with family to pray together and honor their ancestors through the altars they have prepared. They also flock to visit the graves of loved ones, praying for them. And it is all to celebrate the hope and renewal that will be brought in the New Year.
References:
Vietnam Travel. (n.d). A Traveller’s Guide to Tet Holiday. vietnam.travel/things-to-do/tet-vietnam-lunar-new-year
Tempo.co. (2025). Mengenal Tet Nguyen Dan, Perayaan Tahun Baru di Vietnam. tempo.co/hiburan/mengenal-tet-nguyen-dan-perayaan-tahun-baru-di-vietnam—1197561
Vietnamplus. (2025). Inside Vietnam’s Lunar New Year celebrations. en.vietnamplus.vn/inside-vietnams-lunar-new-year-celebrations-post308800.vnp.
Britannica. (n.d). Tết Vietnamese Holiday. britannica.com/topic/Tet-holiday
Vman South East Asia. 2025. Vietnam’s Tet: A Cultural Celebration Like No Other in the Lunar New Year. vman-sea.com/arts-culture/travel/vietnams-tet-a-cultural-celebration-like-no-other-in-the-lunar-new-year/
