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Check out the Chinatown-International District LNY food walk!

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Food event in Seattle, WA by Seattle's Chinatown-International District on Saturday, February 20 2021 with 991 people interested and 111 people going.

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Celebrate the Vietnamese Lunar New Year with Seattle Center's virtual festal series

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Tet in Seattle - Vietnamese Lunar New Year is a celebration of the Year of the Ox - a year of strength and resilience - and of the cultural roots and traditions of Vietnamese Americans during the Vietnamese Lunar New Year.

Tune in all month long (February 5-22, 2021) for virtual content.

Tet in Seattle is part of the Virtual Festál Series with generous support from 4Culture. The 2021 Festál theme, "Where the World Gathers" links together the series of 24 free festivals presented throughout the year, each with a unique cultural focus, identity, and a range of engaging activities.

Seattle Center Festál presents Tết in Seattle - Vietnamese Lunar New Year in partnership with Tết in Seattle (TIS). This festival celebrates the cultural roots and traditions of Vietnamese Americans during the Vietnamese Lunar New Year. For two days, attendees gain a glimpse into the spirit and energy of Vietnam through arts, music, hands-on experiences, and performances unique to Vietnam. Additional features include offerings of traditional Vietnamese food, awe-inspiring lion dances, curated ao dai fashion show, and an all-inclusive health fair, providing free health services, screenings, and medical support.

This event is free and open to the public.
HISTORY
Tết occurs on the first day of the Lunar New Year, typically late January or early February, and is celebrated for 3-5 days. During this period, families reunite and put aside the past year's struggles and pray for blessings in the year to come. Homes are cleaned, fresh clothes are donned, and streets are decorated in preparation for Tết. In every home, altars are set up to welcome ancestors with a full spread of Vietnamese dishes unique to Tết, such as bánh tết, bánh chung, and more.

The colors, red and yellow, are seen to be extremely lucky; it is common to see these colors draped up and down the streets, and donned as apparel. The traditional Vietnamese dress, known as the 'ao dai', is a key feature of the Lunar New Year as it showcases the beauty of traditional Vietnamese fashion.

Tết in Seattle (TIS) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, comprised and operated by dedicated local volunteers and supported by the Vietnamese community. TIS was formed in 1996 with a mission to celebrate and preserve traditional Vietnamese culture and heritage in Seattle. In 1997, TIS hosted its first festival at Seattle Center under the Festál brand.
DID YOU KNOW?

Tết is the most important festival in Vietnam as it celebrates rebirth.

Vietnamese traditional fashion is easily distinguished by the flowing 'ao dai' and conical hats 'non la'.

Vietnam is the largest exporter of cashews in the world and the second largest exporter of rice.

Vietnamese people can be found across the entire world, namely the U.S., Canada, France, Germany, and Australia, as a result of the Vietnam War.

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Seattle Center Festál presents Tết in Seattle - Vietnamese Lunar New Year in partnership with Tết in Seattle (TIS). This festival celebrates the cultural roots and traditions of Vietnamese-Americans during the Vietnamese Lunar New Year. For two days, attendees gain a glimpse into the spirit and energy of Vietnam through arts, music, hands-on experiences, and performances unique to Vietnam.

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Celebrate with a variety of events with the Bellevue Collection

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Gift Picks
Bring good fortune into the New Year with gifts inspired by your Chinese Zodiac animal. Find something for everyone with these gifts that are a perfect match for them all from The Bellevue Collection!
View Gift Guide Here

IGTV Crafts

Craft Pick Up: Jan. 25-30 1 per child, 3 per household, while supplies last.
Guest Services, Bellevue Square
Create festive crafts as decorations for the year of the Ox. Tune in anytime on Instagram @bellevuecollection for tutorials on DIY Lunar New Year crafts.

Virtual Dragon & Lion Parade

Friday, Feb. 12, 5:00 pm

Tune in: Here, Instagram or Facebook @bellevuecollection

Watch our celebration with a spectacular performance with the Seattle Shaolin Kungfu Academy & International Lion Dance Martial Art Team.

Stop by The Bellevue Collection's Lunar New Year Augmented Reality (AR) experience. Take a photo and capture a memorable moment celebrating the Year of The Ox, located on level one of Bellevue Square, below ZARA!

Download your photo, visit collectionplays.com

Share your experience using #bellevuecollection and #tbclny

Festive Decor
See our Lunar New Year decorated windows with lucky décor and great finds from our stores around Bellevue Square. Or check out the ornate and colorful Chinese traditional costumes from Culture Center of TECO in Seattle and Hwa Shang Chinese Opera Club in the window display on the second level, across Victoria's Secret.
Chinese Traditional Costumes sponsored in partnership with Seattle Chinese Culture and Arts Association.

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Gift Picks Bring good fortune into the New Year with gifts inspired by your Chinese Zodiac animal. Find something for everyone with these gifts that are a perfect match for them all from The Bellevue Collection! View Gift Guide Here Craft Pick Up: Jan. 25-30 1 per child, 3 per household, while supplies last.

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The Chinese Student Association at the University of Washington cordially invites you to attend a night filled with Chinese culture at their 54th Annual Lunar New Year Gala!

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Theater event by CSA UW on Saturday, February 13 2021 with 140 people interested and 45 people going.

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Wing Luke Museum Virtual Celebration, Feb 13

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Wing Luke Museum Virtual Celebration, Feb 13

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Take part in a program where you can learn more about lion dances by asking questions to a local martial arts lion dance instructor and make New Year Decorations LIVE along with our crafting teachers. Watch two different lion dances originally from Japan and China, get a calligraphy lesson from a master artist and visit with local families to see how they celebrate New Years All Year Round through our community videos.

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WING LUKE MUSEUM OF THE ASIAN PACIFIC AMERICAN EXPERIENCE

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Sammamish Lunar New Year Virtual Celebration, Feb 12-16

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Sammamish Lunar New Year Virtual Celebration, Feb 12-16

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This 5-day event will offer daily videos, workshops and live readings on performance, history, crafts and much more. There will be chances to win prizes and giveaways each day you when you visit the site.

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Some content on this page may not display correctly. Please enable JavaScript in your browser's settings and refresh the page.

Join us Virtually in celebrating the Year of the Ox, featuring the diversely talented international community of Sammamish and activities centered around Asian culture and ceremonial traditions. This 5-day event offers daily videos, workshops and live readings on performance, history, crafts and much more. Throughout the 5-day virtual event, videos and workshops will be uploaded daily. There will be chances to win prizes and giveaways each day you when you visit the site. The event is brought to you by: City of Sammamish, Skyline High School Chinese Classes, Sammamish Library, Sammamish YMCA, Sammamish Chinese School and WaHaHa Youth Club.

Friday, February 12, 2021
Saturday, February 13, 2021

10:00AM - 11:00AM
Family program, all ages welcome.

Presented in English and Mandarin.

Celebrate the Year of the Ox with a special World Language Story Time presenter teaching us words and sharing a book in Mandarin! Listen to some Lunar New Year stories and songs as you make your New Year Lantern. You'll have a chance to share your final product with the rest of the group (optional).

QR Code and link to register https://kcls.bibliocommons.com/events/search/q=lunar%20new%20year

Visit the and Celebrations! Event Bulletin Board below

for opportunities to win prizes and share your Lunar New Year celebrations!

February 12 - Performances, Music and Activities
Wahaha Youth Club - Rena Wang, Grace Zhao, Daisy Hu, Sophie Wang

Half Pot of Voile

February 13 - Performances, Music and Activities

Sammamish Chinese School

Chinese Traditional Dishes
Show

Four delicious Chinese dishes are on show: dumplings, fish, steamed pork with grinding rice and Nian Gao

Skyline Chinese Classes

Martial Arts

Solo Training & Pair Fight

Join us Virtually in celebrating the Year of the Ox, featuring the diversely talented international community of Sammamish and activities centered around Asian culture and ceremonial traditions. This 5-day event offers daily videos, workshops and live readings on performance, history, crafts and much more. Throughout the 5-day virtual event, videos and workshops will be uploaded daily. There will be chances to win prizes and giveaways each day you when you visit the site. The event is brought to you by: City of Sammamish, Skyline High School Chinese Classes, Sammamish Library, Sammamish YMCA, Sammamish Chinese School and WaHaHa Youth Club.

Friday, February 12, 2021
Saturday, February 13, 2021

10:00AM - 11:00AM
Family program, all ages welcome.

Presented in English and Mandarin.

Celebrate the Year of the Ox with a special World Language Story Time presenter teaching us words and sharing a book in Mandarin! Listen to some Lunar New Year stories and songs as you make your New Year Lantern. You'll have a chance to share your final product with the rest of the group (optional).

QR Code and link to register https://kcls.bibliocommons.com/events/search/q=lunar%20new%20year

Visit the and Celebrations! Event Bulletin Board below

for opportunities to win prizes and share your Lunar New Year celebrations!

February 12 - Performances, Music and Activities
Wahaha Youth Club - Rena Wang, Grace Zhao, Daisy Hu, Sophie Wang

Half Pot of Voile

February 13 - Performances, Music and Activities

Sammamish Chinese School

Chinese Traditional Dishes
Show

Four delicious Chinese dishes are on show: dumplings, fish, steamed pork with grinding rice and Nian Gao

Skyline Chinese Classes

Martial Arts

Solo Training & Pair Fight

Let us know you're here for a chance to win!

Sign our raffle guestbook each day you visit the Lunar New Year event page and you will be entered into daily drawings for gift cards supporting local businesses! Individual email is eligible each day to enter raffle.

Winners will be contacted via email and announced the following day.

Prizes will be mailed no later than 5 business days after submitting personal mailing information requested directly from the City.
One entry per day, please. Duplicates will be discarded before daily drawing.
You need to be signed in to comment in this Guest Book. Click here to Sign In or Register to get involved

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Some content on this page may not display correctly. Please enable JavaScript in your browser's settings and refresh the page. Join us Virtually in celebrating the Year of the Ox, featuring the diversely talented international community of Sammamish and activities centered around Asian culture and ceremonial traditions.

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A wonderful place full of rich history, great shops, and delicious food!

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The electric epicenter of Seattle's Asian-American communities boasts historic landmarks, heralded restaurants, and popular attractions.
BY ERIN JAMES

EAT

Much-loved Fuji Bakery (526 S King St) fuses Japan and France in bites like the yuzu bacon epi, a citrusy-salty sandwich on a beautiful baguette. Dough Zone Dumpling House's (*504 Fifth Ave S, Ste 109) soup dumplings are reasonably priced and fantastic. Snag a reservation at Maneki (304 Sixth Ave S), one of the city's longest-standing restaurants at a spry 115 years old, for award-winning sushi and Japanese comfort food. Mike's Noodle House (418 Maynard Ave S) is known for warming bowls of Chinese noodle soup, while Saigon Deli's (1237 S Jackson St) sumptuous, pork-loaded banh mi sandwiches are one of the best lunch deals around. Don't miss Seven Stars Pepper (1207 S Jackson St) for hot pot and hand-shaved dan dan noodles and Harbor City (707 S King St) for its rotating dim sum carts, perfect for an enormous brunch crowd.

SHOP

Momo (600 S Jackson St) offers a vibrant collection of clothes, jewelry, and home goods from local and international designers, while trendy Moksha (670 S King St) stocks cutting-edge fashion and streetwear. Local supermarket Uwajimaya (*600 Fifth Ave S) houses a huge array of colorful fresh and prepared foods, imported and regional products, a diverse food hall, and an outpost of Kinokuniya (525 S Weller St), an eclectic Japanese bookstore. Stock up on your favorite blends of tea at New Century Tea Gallery (416 Maynard Ave S) or browse Deng Studio & Art Gallery (515 Seventh Ave S ) for striking artworks and supplies.

PLAY

The powerful Wing Luke Museum (*719 S King St) commemorates Asian Pacific American culture in the neighborhood and beyond, including exploring how Bruce Lee and Seattle shaped one another. With its terrace-like stairs down to a brick square hosting the ornate Grand Pavilion, Hing Hay Park (423 Maynard Ave S) is a hub for festivals and celebrations like the Lunar New Year. After walking the streets and taking in the traditional architecture and design of the neighborhood, wrap a day up with karaoke at Bush Garden (614 Maynard Ave S), a community fixture for decades.

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BY ERIN JAMES Much-loved Fuji Bakery (526 S King St) fuses Japan and France in bites like the yuzu bacon epi, a citrusy-salty sandwich on a beautiful baguette. Dough Zone Dumpling House 's (*504 Fifth Ave S, Ste 109) soup dumplings are reasonably priced and fantastic.

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How Asians Celebrate Lunar New Year Worldwide

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How Asians Celebrate Lunar New Year Worldwide

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How Asians Celebrate Lunar New Year Worldwide

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Spring cleaning

Before the New Year, a spring clean is a must. And while it helps to get rid of the junk collected over the year, there's actually another more important reason for the annual pre-New Year clean up: the idea is that in removing old and unused objects, you're making room for new luck in the coming year, and that by sweeping dust out the door and cleaning dirt off the windows, you are casting out any bad luck accumulated in the past year. However, it's extremely important to avoid doing this in the first few days of the New Year as you may inadvertently sweep away any fresh luck the new year brought into the home.

Red envelopes

While in other parts of the world, children get excited about gifts from Santa, in Taiwan red envelopes are what it's all about. Children are usually the chief beneficiaries with aunts, uncles, parents, and grandparents offering them envelopes containing crisp, fresh-from-the-ATM banknotes. When children become adults and start to earn their own money, they become the givers. These red envelopes presented to parents and grandparents are seen as a sign of respect and appreciation. And why red? Well, it's the luckiest color out there, so it's the obvious choice.

Spring couplets (red scrolls)

This is one of the most visible traditions of the Lunar New Year as you can see couplets, or what many call red scrolls, hanging at the entrance to many homes. These scrolls are painted with wise messages or short poems that are supposed to bring good luck to the home. Every year you must remove the old ones and replace them with freshly painted new scrolls.

Firecrackers

While you might assume that Taiwanese simply love loud noises, you'd be mistaken. The firecrackers that we see here during festivals have a huge significance. During Lunar New Year they were traditionally set off to scare away Nian, a mythical beast of old that is said to have tormented a village many centuries ago. These days, locals set them off to scare away evil spirits and help celebrate the coming of the New Year. If you're in Taiwan during Chinese New Year, then expect to hear a lot of noise at night.

Family gatherings

Probably one of the most important traditions of the new year is the family gathering. It's rare to find a local person that doesn't spend at least a day or two in the family home with their parents and grandparents. For some that live far from home, it may be the only occasion that everyone can get together which makes it all the more important.

New clothes (preferably red)

The New Year is a chance for a fresh start for everyone, and so many people choose to wear new clothes for the first few days of the holidays. It's not unusual to see kids wearing red, and even adults get in on the act. In fact, the most popular item of clothing on sale in the weeks before the new year is red underwear. Yes, it brings good luck, especially if you're playing Mahjong.

Mahjong and dice

Mahjong is incredibly popular in Taiwan and doubly so around the New Year. With all the family under one roof for a few days, it's the perfect time to sit down and play some games. And while mahjong is the go-to game for the new year, many families also like to enjoy a spot of gambling fun with dice. $5 or $10 bets and the winner takes all show that it's lighthearted fun that brings the family together. Just remember to wear your lucky underwear.

The New Year's Eve meal

And finally, we come to the New Year's Eve meal. Served up late in the evening at the family home, there is usually enough food to feed a small army. Many of the dishes on the table hold a special significance and are often chosen for luck. These days, however, more and more Taiwanese are opting to dine out in restaurants to save the trouble of both preparing and clearing up after the meal. And once finished at the restaurant, it's back home for some late night mahjong and dice.

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Spring cleaning Before the New Year, a spring clean is a must. And while it helps to get rid of the junk collected over the year, there's actually another more important reason for the annual pre-New Year clean up: the idea is that in removing old and unused objects, you're making room for new luck in the coming year, and that by sweeping dust out the door and cleaning dirt off the windows, you are casting out any bad luck accumulated in the past year.

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Lunar New Year's Traditions and Superstitions, Explained

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Lunar New Year's Traditions and Superstitions, Explained

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When people talk about the "holiday season" in the U.S., they typically refer to that period between Thanksgiving dinner and New Year's Day. But shortly after that, another massive holiday brings friends and family together in several Asian countries, with concurrent parties that carry on the traditions stateside. The Lunar New Year, most commonly associated with the Chinese New Year or Spring Festival, typically falls sometime between January 21 and February 20 annually. Lunar New Year 2021 is on February 12, and in terms of the Chinese zodiac animal, it's the Year of the Ox.

It's called the Lunar New Year because it marks the first new moon of the lunisolar calendars traditional to many east Asian countries including China, South Korea, and Vietnam, which are regulated by the cycles of the moon and sun. As the New York Times explains, "A solar year-the time it takes Earth to orbit the sun-lasts around 365 days, while a lunar year, or 12 full cycles of the Moon, is roughly 354 days." As with the Jewish lunisolar calendar, "a month is still defined by the moon, but an extra month is added periodically to stay close to the solar year." This is why the new year falls on a different day within that month-long window each year.

In China, the 15-day celebration kicks off on New Year's Eve with a family feast called a reunion dinner full of traditional Lunar New Year foods, and typically ends with the Lantern Festival. "It's really a time for new beginnings, and family gathering," says Nancy Yao Maasbach, president of New York City's Museum of Chinese in America. Three overarching themes, she says, are "fortune, happiness, and health."

Here's what to know about Lunar New Year traditions, and what more than 1.5 billion people do to celebrate it.

Lunar New Year isn't exactly the same as Chinese New Year.

The Lunar New Year isn't only observed in China, it's celebrated across several countries and other territories in Asia, including South Korea and Singapore. In Vietnam, Lunar New Year is known as Tết, and in Tibet it's Losar. In the U.S., though, it's most commonly associated with what's often called Chinese New Year, the American version of China's 15-day-long festivities.

"It's been popularized because the largest segment of the Asian-American population in the United States is Chinese," Maasbach explains. "It's kind of like that old Friends joke, 'In China, they just call it 'food'; in Chinese, it's just the new year." But in America, she says, where the holiday is mainly experienced in the Chinatowns of various cities, "we just made it 'Chinese New Year.'" In Maasbach's experience, while Lunar New Year is the more inclusive and accurate term as it applies to the holiday worldwide, celebrating is "not as popular with some of those immigrant groups in America."

As it's also become popular with people of all nationalities who visit Chinatown to eat and watch the parade performances, Maasbach adds, "it's sort of like our stake in the country, if you will, and that's really a pride point."

Lunar New Year is also called Spring Festival.

That name was popularized after Communist Party leader Mao Zedong took power in China in 1949. "The term was coined before the Communists, but it was used extensively by the party to replace 'the new year,' because they tried to get rid of anything that's old-all of the superstitions and religion, including the celebrations," says Kian Lam Kho, chef and author of Phoenix Claws and Jade Trees: Essential Techniques of Authentic Chinese Cooking. During the Cultural Revolution from 1966 to the year Mao died in 1976, the traditional lion and dragon dances were also a point of contention, according to History.com.

Nowadays, Kho explains, "in mainland China, almost everybody refers to the new year as Spring Festival. But if you're in Hong Kong, Taiwan, or anywhere else in most of the Chinese diaspora, they're still calling it 'new year.'"

Spring Festival is a 7-day vacation in China.

There is a weeklong holiday in the People's Republic of China during Spring Festival; in 2021, the public holiday is February 11-17. Ahead of that holiday comes a bustling travel period known as Chunyun, in which millions of people trek home by plane, train, and automobile to celebrate the new year with their extended families. CNN deemed Chunyun "the largest human migration on the planet" ahead of the Lunar New Year in January 2020, projecting that 3 billion trips would be made (though this was likely impacted by then-burgeoning pandemic travel restrictions).

"I tell people who want to visit Asia, in general, avoid Chinese New Year because you won't be able to get anywhere!" laughs Kho.

Lunar New Year traditions include the Dragon Dance and the distribution of red envelopes filled with money.

"When you walk around Chinatown, if you're not familiar with the layers of meaning in these festivals, you may miss them," Maasbach says.

Upside-down fu characters: On Chinese New Year, you'll commonly see a calligraphy character on a square of red paper, hung in a diamond shape. The character, 福 [fú], which means good luck, is hung upside down for Lunar New Year. "The word 'to arrive,' or to begin, is a homophone for the word for upside down," Maasbach explains. Through this bit of pictorial wordplay, the symbol effectively means that good luck is arriving, or pouring down on you.

Red pockets full of money: Known as lì xì in Vietnamese or hóngbāo in Mandarin, in China they're traditionally gifted from an elder or parent to children, or really anyone who's unmarried. "It's really fun, because even if your brother is 40 and he's unmarried he still gets red envelopes," Maasbach says. The custom arose out of a tradition of using coins as a gift to ward off evil spirits.

It's an occasion for kids to have a little fun when asking for an envelope, too. When asking, "you have to say things like 'xin nian kuai le', or 'Happy New Year,' or 'gong xǐ fā cái', which means 'make money in the new year'. But it kind of has a rhyme," Maasbach says. "You'll say, 'gong xǐ fā cái, hóngbāo ná lái!'" This translates to, 'Make a lot of money in the new year-now give me my red envelope!"

Firecrackers: Firecrackers and fireworks are often set off throughout Lunar New Year, both to ward off an ancient monster called Nian, and because it's become a raucous way to celebrate. It's common to see families shooting off the equally festive, and non-fiery, confetti cannons on the streets of U.S. Chinatowns on New Year's Day.

The Lion Dance and Dragon Dance: Traditional dances and gymnastic performances are an exciting part of a Lunar New Year parade. A Lion Dance typically features two performers inside the costume, operating as the creature's front and back legs. "It's supposed to send away any evil spirits," Maasbach says. "It's an opportunity to feed the lion with red envelopes."

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The Dragon Dance features visible puppeteers holding poles as they make the dragon move in a flowing motion. While these two dances are among the best known, Maasbach says they're just a few examples native to specific regions. "China is a very diverse country, with many different practices," she continues. "The Fan Dance, the Phoenix Dance, the Lion Dance-those are all provincial expert pieces."

This content is imported from YouTube. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.

Taboos and superstitions attract good luck on Lunar New Year.

Again, attracting-and carrying over-good fortune into the next year is a major theme of the holiday, and so is protecting against bad fortune. With that comes a lot of superstitious practices, Maasbach says.

"There are lots of little things you are supposed to do, and not do," she explains. "You're not supposed to cry, and you're not supposed to argue-only talk about good, happy things." This will set the tone for the future days.

"Pay back your debts before the new year starts," Massback continues, or it's bad luck.

Don't cut your hair on the Lunar New Year-in fact, stay away from scissors altogether. "My mother would be irate if I cut anything with scissors on Lunar New Year," says Maasbach. In a time of family togetherness and celebrating fortune, it's taboo because it's believed that you'll be severing those connections.

Avoid wearing black or white, as they're associated with mourning. To attract luck, "you have to wear red," Maasbach says, adding that her late grandmother wore red almost everyday, because "she wanted everything to be happy."

Don't do laundry on the first or second day of the new year, according to travel site China Highlights, "because these two days are celebrated as the birthday of Shuishen (水神, the Water God)." Avoid washing your hair too, lest you wash your good fortune away.

Don't sweep after Lunar New Year's Eve, the site adds, or you'll be sweeping away accrued wealth and luck.

Several traditional Lunar New Year foods also carry extra meaning in China, because the way they're pronounced is a homophone for another luck-related word. For example, "the pronunciation for 'fish' in Mandarin and many other dialects is 'yú', which is the same pronunciation as 'leftover'," Kho says. "The idea is that every year, you want an abundance of food or wealth, so that you have it left over for the next year."

Lunar New Year celebrations in 2021 will likely look different.

It remains to be seen how the coronavirus pandemic will affect Lunar New Year celebrations in the U.S. and in Asia. Hong Kong, which was in partial lockdown as of December 2020 due to a fourth wave of infections, has canceled their iconic parade and their fireworks for the coming Year of the Ox. San Francisco has canceled their festival and parade as well. It's also unclear how COVID-19 will impact the yearly Chunyun travel rush, if at all (millions of Americans traveled over the 2020 Thanksgiving holiday, against public health recommendations).

The Museum of Chinese in America is holding a virtual MOCA Fest through February that includes Chinese cooking classes, cultural events, and classes for kids. "I don't think you'll ever see Chinese Americans in the U.S. not celebrate," Maasbach says.

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The Lunar New Year's Traditions and Superstitions, Explained

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When people talk about the "holiday season" in the U.S., they typically refer to that period between Thanksgiving dinner and New Year's Day. But shortly after that, another massive holiday brings friends and family together in several Asian countries, with concurrent parties that carry on the traditions stateside.

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The biggest, longest, and most interesting holiday in Vietnam, the Vietnamese Lunar New Year, is expected by all Vietnamese people on one side and even foreign tourists on the other side. Tet holiday is a rich mix of the cultures, history, customs, and traditions of the S-shaped country. Therefore, a visit to Vietnam on the occasion of this amazing holiday will be completely worth your while during your Indochina tour.

What is the Vietnamese New Year?

Vietnamese New Year, also known as the Tet holiday or Tet Nguyen Dan, is considered the most important and biggest festival in Vietnam. The word "Tet" is originally Sino -Vietnamese which means "Feast of the first morning of the first day". Similar to Chinese New Year, Vietnamese people celebrate the arrival of the spring based on the lunar calendar (Chinese Lunar Calendar), so it easy to find that the New Year's dates are fluctuant in the solar calendar. The Vietnamese New Year takes place on the first day of the first lunar month which has the date falling in January or February. For 2021, the New Year will come on February 12th.

As the most important celebration in Vietnamese culture, the Vietnamese people consider New Year's day as a special occasion to farewell to the old and usher in the new. It is originally celebrated by Vietnamese to thank the gods for the arrival of spring a thousand years ago. This is the best time for locals to pay respects to their ancestors and welcoming the new year with family members. On account of that Vietnam is a country with a majority of farmers, the pleasant gathering with family members could be very precious after a year of hard work. They can totally enjoy the happiness of harvest and expect good weather and good crops in the coming year.

There are also diverse special celebrations and customs of the Vietnamese New Year. Indochina Tours will introduce all the details about it for your reference if you are planning to visit Vietnam during the festivals.

How the Vietnamese New Year is Traditionally Celebrated?

Traditional Celebrations of Tet Holiday

Influenced by other Asian countries, Vietnamese people value their families a lot. They usually return to their hometowns and visit the graves of their ancestors as a sign of respect. However, with the development of Vietnam's reform and the improvement of Vietnamese people's living standard, the meaning of the New Year has been enriched. So there are several traditional celebrations related to Vietnam New Year. It could be divided into 3 periods though people generally have only 3 days off the preparation before New Year's Eve, the New Year's Eve, and the following New Year.

Before the New Year's Eve

Before New Year's Eve, the preparation starts one or two weeks before the actual celebration. As early as the middle of the 12th lunar month, Vietnamese people begin to get busy. The first thing they usually do is cleaning up the house, in order to sweep the misfortune of the previous year. According to traditional legend, Vietnamese families usually have a family alter. Traditionally, the three kitchen guardians for each house return to heaven on the 23rd day of the last lunar month, so people will burn intensely before the pictures of the kitchen guardians and place offerings such as cakes or candy. They will also release a carp back to the river to pray for the guardians' smooth return.

In general, the atmosphere leading up to the New Year is also in the bustle of shopping, decorating the house and cooking the traditional food, and welcoming family members to return home. At that time, each family will cook special foods and prepare other snacks for the guests visiting home. Also, Vietnamese people will try to pay off their debts in advance so that they could be debt-free during the New Year. Besides, parents will buy new clothes for their children so that they can wear them during the Tet holiday for welcoming the new coming year.

On the New Year's Eve

Give-and-Take Lucky Money

On New Year's Eve, it is reserved for the nuclear family. Like other Asian countries, particularly China, Vietnam believes that the red and yellow color will bring good fortune. So, the elders will give red envelopes containing lucky money to wish for health, success, and happy for them. This traditional custom is called "Mung tuoi" in the north and "Li xi" in the south of Vietnam. Usually, during New Year's Eve, children wear their new clothes and give their elders the traditional Vietnamese greetings before receiving the money.

The Traditional Custom of "the First Visitor"

Because the Vietnamese believe that the first visitor a family receives will determine their fortune for the entire year, people will never enter any house on the Tet holiday without being invited. For Vietnamese, if good things come to the family on the first day of the Lunar New Year, the entire following year will also be full of blessings.

If you are a person of good temper, morality, and success, you will be welcomed first into the house because it is a lucky sign for the host family. This special activity is called "Xong Dat" in Vietnamese which is one of the most important rituals during the New Year. Just in case, however, the owner of the house will leave the house a few minutes before midnight of the last day of the year and come back to prevent anyone else from entering the house first who will bring unfortunate events in the upcoming year.

Setting off Firework

During the Lunar New Year in Vietnam, the temperature is around 10℃, thus people will wear traditional clothes and gather downtown at midnight. When the stroke of midnight struck, all the firework was set off at the same time. According to the Vietnamese tradition, the firework is fired to ward off the evil spirits. People can throw away all the bad and unpleasant things for the past of the year, then welcome an auspicious and hopeful New Year.

The Following New Year

During the subsequent days of the holiday, people visit relatives and friends. Children are nearly free to spend their new money on toys or games. There are also several events such as flower tour, lantern festival, opera performance, folk duet, and temple visit during the whole month. One of the popular spots for people to give donations is local Buddist temples. Additionally, prosperous families can pay dragon dancers to perform at their houses for entertaining.

Traditional Decorations of Tet Holiday

According to Vietnamese tradition, three ornaments are indispensable for each Vietnamese household during the Festival: a bunch of fresh flowers, a potted golden orange tree, and a plate of five types of fruits which symbolize a lucky, fortune, and flourishing new year.

"The Five Bowls"

In addition, in southern Vietnam, there is a popular bonsai (fruit basket) called "The Five Bowls" which consists of sweetsop, coconut, mango, fig, and papaya. All the fruits in the "bowls" could be pronounced similar to some lucky words, which aim to pray every year having enough things to spend. Also, the fruits symbolize the fertility and fruitfulness that the family hopes for the new year.

Peach Blossom & Kumquat Bonsai

During the Lunar New Year, every Vietnamese family will buy flowers such as peach blossom and kumquat bonsai to decorate their house because of their lucky moral and decorative effect. Besides, people also display 'Cay Neu', an artificial New Year tree consisting of a bamboo pole. At the top of the tree, people always decorate many objects including good luck charms, origami fish, or cactus branches depending on the locality.

New Year Couplets

According to Vietnamese tradition, Vietnamese usually put up New Year couplets and pictures in front of the main door during the Spring Festival. People used to write the lucky words in Chinese characters and they make them in alphabetized Chinese characters instead. However, most couplets have recently been written phonetically since the alphabetization of Vietnamese.

Traditional Foods of Tet Holiday

On the occasion of the Tet holiday, what traditional food for the Vietnamese lunar new year? To celebrate the most important holiday in the country, generations of the Vietnamese have been following their traditions to cook some special dishes, such as Banh Chung, Banh Tet, Cu Kieu, etc. Read on to know the special food for Tet occasion in Vietnam.

Banh Chung is considered the dispensible item for the Tet celebration particularly in northern Vietnam. It is a square-shaped rice cake including sticky rice, season pork, and mung bean, wrapped in banana leaves. Traditionally, the square shape of Banh Chung represents the Earth, associating with deep meanings of the universe. Besides the steamed version, the Northern people also prefer the fried version of Banh Chung by frying them on the nonstick frying pan with a little oil and moderate heat. The package of this square-shaped cake usually takes 6-8 hours of boiling to finish. And Vietnamese people give homemade Banh Chung to others as a present.

While Banh Chung is square, typical in the north, and represents the Earth, Banh Tet is cylindrical, more popular in the south, and represents the Moon in the universe. Despite the same ingredients of sticky rice, season pork, and mung bean, the difference between the two kinds of foods lies in their shape. Generations of the southern families often prepare and cook this special cake before the first day of the new year. In the process of preparation, the youth are expected to help to clean the banana leaves and wrap the packages following the elder's instructions while the mothers are in charge of seasoning the pork, steaming the mung beans, preparing the sticky rice, etc., and mixing them. All activities create cozy and happy memories.

Cu Kieu/ Dua Muoi (Pickled Onion)

Various kinds of root vegetables and leeks can be fermented to create the pickle which is a delicious item to eat with the braised pork and eggs in the light fish sauce. Especially, the pickle's small leeks are often prepared by the housewives even weeks before the Tet holiday. Also, some families prefer to buy plastic jars of pickled onions in the market. In any way, it is really common that almost every family has at least one jar available in their kitchens. This kind of traditional food is also good for the digestion of the other meat-rich dishes.

Mut (Candied Fruits)

This is the pure Vietnamese food part. The candied fruits are wildly popular in the local markets, which ensures every family can buy lots of candied treats like coconut, sweet potato, tamarind, mango, etc. The brightly colored candied fruits are usually present on the tables to serve guests who come during the Tet spans. People of all ages love to chew it. So, if you travel to Vietnam on this special occasion and ask "What do Vietnamese eat for Lunar New Year?", then the answers are certainly included the candied fruits.

Yummy Seeds & Nuts

Yummy seeds and nuts are also traditional foods in Vietnam Lunar New Year. Some of the most popular items are the salt-roasted cashew nut, lotus seed, sunflower seed, watermelon seed, sesame seed candy, and peanut candy. Indochina Tours makes sure that you will find these seeds, nuts, and candies in the local markets during the Tet holiday for easy purchase. If you have a chance to visit any Vietnamese family, it's taken for granted that you will be invited to savor at least one kind of these mentioned seeds and nuts. The chewing experience is rewarding.\

Nem Ran/ Cha Gio (Spring Roll)

In Northern Vietnam, "Nem Ran" is considered the popular item in the daily meal and the indispensable food in the traditional tables for worshipping the ancestor. In the same sense, "Cha Gio" is a famous dish in the South of the country. Both two dishes are fried to be crunchy outside while the interior includes meat, egg, onion, mushroom, shrimp, peanut, etc. This kind of spring roll is often served with fresh vegetables wrapped in rice paper and dipped into the fish sauce. The eye-catching display of both "Nem Ran" and "Cha Gio" certainly makes you mouth-watering. As usual, the spring rolls should be eaten while it is still hot and crispy.

Boiled Chicken

Most of the alters to worship the ancestors in Vietnam have a space for the boiled chicken - the most popular foods in Vietnam Lunar New Year. Vietnamese might put the processed whole chicken to do worshipping, but some families might decide to chop the chicken into little pieces and display them on the plate. This delicious food is usually topped with Vietnamese coriander and eaten with the sauce including salt, pepper, and lemon juice. With the yellow boiled and skin-perfect chicken, representing the good beginning of the New Year, Vietnamese people consider boiled chicken the indispensable food for wishing happiness and success upcoming year.

After understanding all the details about the Vietnamese New Year, do you want to visit Vietnam during the Lunar New Year and enjoy the local culture and exotic charm of the country?

The Date of Tet Holiday based on Gregorian Calendar

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Tet Holiday - All about Vietnamese Lunar New Year 2021 - Indochina Tours

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The biggest, longest, and most interesting holiday in Vietnam, the Vietnamese Lunar New Year, is expected by all Vietnamese people on one side and even foreign tourists on the other side. Tet holiday is a rich mix of the cultures, history, customs, and traditions of the S-shaped country.

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Lunar New Year's Celebration: Korea vs. China vs. Vietnam

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Lunar New Year's Celebration: Korea vs. China vs. Vietnam

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Lunar New Year's Celebration: Korea vs. China vs. Vietnam

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What Is Tet: All About Vietnamese New Year

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What Is Tet: All About Vietnamese New Year

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When many Americans hear the word "Tet," they immediately recall learning about the 1968 Tet Offensive during the Vietnam War. But what is Tet all about?

Considered the first day of spring and most important of national holidays in Vietnam, Tet is the annual Vietnamese New Year celebration, coinciding with the Lunar New Year celebrated throughout the world in January or February.

Technically, "Tet" is a shortened (thank goodness!) form of Tết Nguyên Đán, a way to say "Lunar New Year" in Vietnamese.

Although Tet can be a very exciting time to travel in Vietnam, it's also the busiest time of the year to be there. Millions of people will be moving throughout the country, returning to their home villages to share reunions with friends and family. The Tet holiday will certainly affect your experience in Vietnam.

What to Expect

Because many shops and businesses are closed during the actual Tet holiday, people rush out in the weeks prior to take care of preparations. They purchase gifts, decorations, groceries for the upcoming family reunions, and new clothing. Markets become busy, and hotels in big cities begin to get booked up.

Tet is a great time to see Vietnamese traditions, games, and revelry. Public stages are set up throughout the country with free cultural shows, music, and entertainment. In the popular Pham Ngu Lao area in Saigon, special performances will be held for tourists. Much like during Chinese New Year, there will be dragon dances and lion dances. Although there are some private New Year parties, all public celebrations will be free to enjoy.

Traveling During Tet

Many Vietnamese people return to their home villages during Tet to visit family. Trains and buses between Saigon and Hanoi become filled up in the days before and after the holiday. Plan extra time if you'll be wanting to move around the country.

Traveling during Tet is busy-you'll need even more patience than usual. Parks and public monuments are crowded. But there are many parts of traveling during Tet to enjoy. Locals are often more congenial and outgoing during Tet. You'll get to enjoy more cultural interactions. Spirits lift, and the atmosphere becomes optimistic. A greater focus is put on the ability to invite good fortune into homes and businesses in the upcoming year.

For travelers in Vietnam, Tet can seem incredibly noisy and chaotic as local people celebrate in the streets. Firecrackers are thrown and gongs (or other noisy objects) are banged to scare away mischievous spirits that could bring about bad fortune. Big fireworks shows rumble overhead. Any hotel rooms facing the street will be extra noisy during the Tet celebration.

Many businesses close in observance of the national holiday, and other places slow down with fewer staff on hand.

Many Vietnamese families take advantage of the national holiday by traveling to popular destinations in Vietnam to celebrate and enjoy time away from work. Beach areas such as Da Nang and tourist towns such as Hoi An will be busier than usual. Finding good deals for accommodation can be a challenge. Book far ahead; prices typically increase sharply during the holiday.

Vietnamese New Year Traditions

Tet is seen as a chance for a fresh start. Debts are settled, and old grievances are forgiven. Houses are cleaned of clutter and decorated with symbolic flowers. Plants get pruned, and drawers are cleared out. All preparations are meant to set the stage for attracting as much luck and good fortune as possible in the upcoming year.

Superstition permeates the air: Whatever happens on the first day of the new year is thought to set the pace for the rest of the year. Sweeping and cutting (including hair and fingernails) are taboo during Tet as no one wants to unknowingly remove incoming good luck!

Although Chinese New Year is observed for 15 days, Tet is typically celebrated for three days with some traditions observed for up to a week. The first day of Tet is usually spent with immediate family, the second day is for visiting friends, and the third day is dedicated to teachers and visiting temples.

One of the most important traditions observed during Tet is the emphasis put on who is the first to enter a house in the new year. The first person brings the luck (good or bad) for the year! Special people (who are considered successful) dear to the family are sometimes invited and given the honor to be the first to enter. If no one is invited, the homeowner leaves and returns a few minutes after midnight just to ensure they are the first to enter the house for the new year.

Because the primary aim is to attract good fortune for the new year, Tet and Chinese New Year share a lot of similar traditions.

How to Say Happy New Year in Vietnamese

Like Thai and Chinese, Vietnamese is a tonal language, making proper pronunciation a challenge for many English speakers.

Regardless, locals will understand your attempts through context during Tet. You can wish people a happy new year in Vietnamese by telling them chúc mừng năm mới. Pronounced roughly as it is transliterated, the greeting sounds like: "chuop moong nahm moy."

The Dates for Tet

Like many winter holidays in Asia, Tet is based on the Chinese lunisolar calendar. The date changes annually for Lunar New Year, but it usually falls in late January or early February.

The first day of the new lunar year occurs on the new moon between January 21 and February 20. Hanoi's time (GMT+7) is one hour behind Beijing, so some years the official start of Tet varies from Chinese New Year by a single day. Otherwise, you can just assume the two holidays coincide.

Upcoming dates for Tet in Vietnam:

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Tet, the Vietnamese New Year, Is One Big Party!

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When many Americans hear the word "Tet," they immediately recall learning about the 1968 Tet Offensive during the Vietnam War. But what is Tet all about? Considered the first day of spring and most important of national holidays in Vietnam, Tet is the annual Vietnamese New Year celebration, coinciding with the Lunar New Year celebrated throughout the world in January or February.