Interest in everything Asian is growing in the world every year. More and more tourists are trying to spend New Year holidays in Thailand, China and Vietnam . In the end of December, these countries have long been accustomed to these influx of Russian tourists in these countries and are even ready to provide a traditional program with a glass of champagne. But still, a real holiday can be seen only during the celebration of the New Year according to the lunar calendar. In each of the Asian countries there are not only their own traditions, but also the dates of the holiday. Today we will discuss the Vietnamese New Year, which is very different from the already familiar Chinese holiday in early February.
Vietnam is a country of great opportunities
Vietnam has not yet become familiar to Russian tourists, our compatriots are only discovering the possibilities of this country and are studying all its holidays with interest. In Vietnam it is good to relax at any time of the year, but tourists traditionally prefer to visit hot countries in the winter, when snowdrifts and snowstorms are outside.
This approach has many advantages, because it allows you to get a much-needed charge of emotions and solar heat in the middle of a long Russian winter. But in addition to this, you can witness a truly unprecedented and enchanting show dedicated to the celebration of the Vietnamese New Year. You will definitely remember this holiday for a long time, because, like in Vietnam, it is not celebrated anywhere in Asia.
Vietnamese New Year: celebration number
New Year in Asia is celebrated according to the lunar calendar, the holiday begins on the first day of the first lunar month. And this means that if you want to become a party to the holiday, you must find out the number of the Vietnamese New Year before buying a ticket. Every year, the date of the celebration is shifted and in some cases differs by several days from the Chinese New Year. On average, a holiday always fits in the time interval between the twentieth of January and the twentieth of February, and its offensive is calculated according to a special formula. For example, in 2017 , the New Year in Vietnam came on January twenty-eighth, but next year, the Vietnamese will celebrate it on February sixteenth.
Therefore, always find out the estimated date of the holiday in advance if you want to get to the Vietnamese New Year. It is best to come to the country a few days before the event in order to observe the preparations for the holiday and take a direct part in them.
What is the New Year in Vietnam?
The Vietnamese New Year has its own name, it is briefly called Tet, and in full it may sound like "Tet Nguyen Dan." It is considered a family holiday, and during this period numerous relatives flock home from all over the planet. According to tradition, the Vietnamese are trying to gather the maximum possible number of family members in their house, and most of all they honor elderly relatives.
The holiday itself is usually celebrated at home, and after midnight, the whole family goes out into the street. Here the Vietnamese take part in marches and performances, lasting for four days. During the holiday shops and all public institutions do not work.
If you are considering whether the Vietnamese New Year is worth your attention, a photo from this extravaganza of colors and fun will convince you that this is the best period for exploring Vietnam. In these four days you will be able to get a lot of positive emotions and return to a carefree childhood.
Preparing for the holiday: what must be done?
The month before the Theta onset in Vietnam is very important. For thirty days, every family is trying to make repairs in their home, full-scale changes, including the exterior painting of the house, are welcome. After this, it is necessary to arrange a general cleaning and throw away all the broken things. By the time the holiday arrives, Vietnamese homes reigned in order and almost sterile cleanliness.
Every self-respecting Vietnamese spends several days before Aunt in stores, and there they choose not gifts for relatives and friends, but clothes for themselves. The fact is that it is necessary to celebrate the holiday in new clothes, but donning it is allowed only after midnight. Otherwise, happiness and prosperity in the new year is not expected. Vietnam stores before the New Year sell a lot of different outfits at the lowest prices. Therefore, tourists who arrived a few days before the holiday will have time to go to local shops with great benefit for themselves.
Traditional New Year's decorations in Vietnamese
In Vietnam, it is customary to richly decorate houses before the holiday. Blooming apricot branches are used as decoration; on the eve of the holiday they are everywhere here. They decorate houses, shops, public institutions. Locals make bouquets of blossoming apricot and put them in vases throughout the house. Such a sight strikes the imagination and sense of smell, because the scent of flowers reigns on every street.
Another decoration of the New Year holiday is an orange tree. After him, the Vietnamese go to special bazaars, they can be compared with traditional Christmas markets in any city in Russia. An orange tree must necessarily be with fruits - they symbolize prosperity, therefore, every resident of Vietnam is trying to get a tree with a lot of fruits. Wealthy Vietnamese buy several trees, decorating them with rooms and a yard around the house.
Features of the celebration of the New Year in Vietnam
Before the holiday, every Vietnamese must sacrifice to three gods:
- Craftsman.
- To the kitchen god.
- The spirit of the earth.
Sacrifices are fruits and various traditional dishes. The gods need to be appeased for several days, because only after that the Kitchen God goes to heaven and tells the Jade Emperor about everything that happened in the house for the whole year. The success of the family in the coming year depends on this report, which is why the Vietnamese are trying by all means to appease the deity in order to improve their position and material condition.
Many wealthy Vietnamese families buy live carps from the markets and release them into the river. This custom is also associated with the Kitchen God, who goes to heaven riding on a carp. The Vietnamese believe that a lot of fish released into the river will greatly facilitate the journey of the deity along the heavenly path.
On the evening before the New Year, life-size puppets depicting dragons pass through the streets. They always have bright colors, red and orange colors prevail in the attire of street dancers. Lanterns are made in the same gamut, which are customary to hang in large numbers on houses and trees in the garden.
Vietnamese New Year: Holiday Script
The New Year's holiday in Vietnam itself is literally painted by the hour, these traditions are already several hundred years old, and they are observed by all locals without exception. Gathered at the table, family members give each other money. Typically, new bills and coins are wrapped in red gift paper or velvet bags of the same color.
With the onset of midnight, all Vietnamese dress up and leave the house to enjoy the festive carnival. If an unexpected guest appears in the house at night, then this is a good omen. He will surely be fed and given money. After the festive procession, everyone goes home, and early in the morning of the next day they go to the temple.
All four days of the holiday, Vietnamese people visit and exchange cash gifts, even the monks in the temples try to give someone the treasured bag with several coins. Moreover, giving large amounts of money or large bills is considered bad form.
If you want to arrange a holiday in the Vietnamese style at home, then be sure to prepare bright clothes in warm shades of red, orange and yellow. Take care of gifts for loved ones by putting them in red bags. In order to create the atmosphere of Vietnam, life-size puppets and images of dragons are well suited. This tradition is very similar to the Chinese New Year, which is not surprising, because the peoples of East Asia have common roots. Do not forget about the traditional Vietnamese dishes, which are necessarily present on every table on the eve of Theta.
New Year's dishes
Not a single festive table is complete without a Vietnamese banching cake. It is made from bamboo leaves, which are wrapped in rice, pork, pickled onions and green peas. It is customary to eat this pie the day after the holiday, they take it with them to the temple and treat the monks.
Fruits are an integral part of the New Year's table, watermelon and melon are highly respected. They are considered a symbol of wealth and prosperity. Holiday is not complete without pork, in different parts of the country it is prepared in its own way. But in any case, this dish is the most important. In the southern provinces of Vietnam, pork is boiled in coconut milk, and the whole carcass is cooked and cut only before serving. In the north of the country, pork is stewed with bamboo and peas, in addition to it, baked carp in salt carapace. This dish is very common in Asia due to its simplicity and surprisingly delicate taste.
Very surprised tourists jelly, which has always been considered an original Russian dish. But the Vietnamese quite often cook it and enjoy it as food.
The Vietnamese New Year is able to surprise even satiated tourists. The holiday is filled with many colorful shows and fiery music, which invites you to take part in the street procession. And if you want to surprise your loved ones, then remember how the phrase "Happy New Year!" Is pronounced in Vietnam - in Vietnamese, it sounds like "Chung-Chuk Tan-Huang." Now you can safely go to Asia and feel the beauty of celebrating the New Year under palm trees and orange trees.