It is said that the ultimate goal of travelers is the opportunity to soak themselves in the unique culture of a nation. It could be tasting exotic but oddly delicious food. It could be satisfying small talk with the locals. To most of us, it is the chance to emerge in the one-of-a-kind holidays of a country.
Located in Southeast Asia, Vietnam, with its 4000 years of history, is famous for its rich culture. And as the locals say, you will never really know Vietnam if you don’t get a chance to witness Vietnam at its peak – which is Vietnam National Holidays.
Imagine the streets are filled with twinkle fairy lights, everyone is nicely dressed, joy appears literally everywhere. Let’s discover a glimmering Vietnam in National Holidays!
Tet – Vietnam Lunar New Year
Most Asian countries celebrate Lunar New Year at the same time. Vietnam is no exception.
Lunar New Year in Vietnam is called Tet – a word that triggers positive emotions in almost every Vietnamese. In Western countries, people often attend family reunions on Christmas and New Year Eve. The same goes for Vietnam, Tet is a special holiday where all people flock back to their hometowns and spend quality time together with their loved ones and families.
Tet’s origin: from history to legend
Strongly influenced by Chinese culture, Tet’s origin dates back to the 1000 years of Chinese domination. Though being imported from China, Tet remains a holiday filled with the national identity of Vietnamese people.
There are some historical pieces of evidence that Tet has been around for a really long time. Confucius – a Chinese philosopher and politician, once wrote: “I do not know what the New Year is, as I know that is the name of a great festival of the Man, they dance like crazy, drink and eat in those days.”
In a Vietnamese ancient history book called Giao Chi Book, it is also stated that: “The Giao Chi People often gather in groups to dance, sing and play for several days to celebrate a new crop, not just the peasantry but all the high classes of society such as mandarin, Lord, and King also participate in this festival”. Giao Chi is the name of ancient southern Vietnam.
That is the historical perspective of Tet’s origin. What about the legend where Tet began – the legend that is told to every single Vietnamese kid as a bedtime story?
Here is how the story goes: “As the 18th prince of Hung King – the first feudal system of Vietnam, Lang Lieu had to participate in a contest to become the next king. Days after days and he came up with nothing to present his father – the King. Then one night, a fairy showed up in his dream and told him about 2 special cakes that would make him stand out from the rest. One square cake – Chung cake, represents the Earth, and another round one – Giay cake, stands for the sky.”
Nowadays, Chung cake and Giay cake are still present among other Tet delicacies. Some say it is a tradition that needs to be preserved. Others are just simply into the taste of these delicious cakes.
Tet’s values: gathering, celebration, and joy
Words can barely describe the value of Tet to Vietnamese people. It is no exaggeration to say that Tet signifies one of the most precious traits of Vietnamese: their family-oriented culture.
Gathering is one of the most important values of Tet that must be mentioned first.
It is a norm in every country in the world that people in small towns migrate to big cities to make a living. In Vietnam, people in rural areas travel to old cities with hope and passion for a better life. Whenever Tet is approaching, there is one place that all of them will head to. Though that place is located in different addresses, they are all called “home”.
If you happen to be in a big city in Vietnam at that time, you will witness a scene unlike anywhere else in the world. Thousands of people pack their luggage and travel back to where their hearts are – home. No matter how far, costly, or time-consuming the journey is, coming back home remains the strongest desire in every Vietnamese.
Now, celebration is the second value of Tet. The reason why people flock back to where they were born and raised is that they want to celebrate Tet with their family and loved ones.
Out with the old, in with the new. Tet is the perfect occasion for people to celebrate what they accomplished in the previous year, as well as welcome the upcoming year with better and bigger hope.
It could be small gestures such as asking about someone’s health or praising one because of his or her achievements. It could be a feast with all members of an extended family and friends. It could be shopping generously as long as it brings joy to other people. It could be in a lot of forms. But after all, it is a celebration.
Joy – the third most important meaning of Tet. To Vietnamese, Tet is all about joy – whether it is their own or others.
People don’t need a reason to be joyful in Tet. They just are! Everyone’s faces light up with smiles and happiness. Adults sing and laugh with each other. Kids run around to express their excitement.
Tet activities: all about enjoying life
Tet falls on the first day of January in the Lunar calendar. However, Tet activities, or the preparation of Tet, starts weeks before the actual day. Let us guide you through Tet activities, from the very beginning to the end.
Pre-Tet activities
House deep-clean, everything needs to be pristine. Whenever Tet is approaching, Vietnam families give their homes a deep-clean. Windows are scrubbed to the tiny bits, floors are swept until it shines, and all furniture is dusted to perfection. This traditional activity aspires to sweep away all bad things of the past year.
Shopping and decorating. After cleaning the house to pristine condition, the next thing Vietnamese need to do is shopping and decorating.
As a foreigner who is traveling Vietnam, perhaps you cannot experience the cleaning activities of Tet. But Tet markets are a must. Prior to Tet, flea markets will be organized all around the country, traditional markets stuffed with new stocks. People can go there to shop for food, clothes, or even flowers.
Flea markets are preferred by the younger generation. You can buy all sorts of things there – from clothes to accessories, to help you ace the best look in Tet. Meanwhile, traditional markets are where the older generation opt for. These markets are best suited for Tet delicacies, jam, food, spices, etc.
Here comes the most exciting and marvelous part – flower markets. Vietnamese people love their homes to be filled with flamboyant flowers and plants. Months before Tet, flower markets are set up everywhere. People can go there to pick flowers, plants that caught their eyes. In the North, peach blossom is the must-have flower in Tet, whereas, in the South, the apricot blossom is what the people go for.
Interested for more? Read our full article now! https://visa2asia.blogspot.com/2021/01/vietnam-national-holidays-guide-for-tourists.html
Fall for these holidays? Apply for your visa in advance!
Each holiday has its own uniqueness and charm. If you fall for these holidays and wish to visit Vietnam to attend, please be advised that there will be some notes for the applicants who want to get a Vietnam visa during these national holidays:
Both applications for Vietnam Visa on arrival and Embassy visa can be postponed seriously within Vietnam public holidays – i.e, in Tet Holiday. Therefore, it would be a good choice if you can apply for a visa at good time.
Visa letters cannot be delivered during the holidays.
Days off for the Vietnam national holidays will be announced by the government prior to the event.
Most government offices, banks, and other institutions will be closed during Tet.
You need a visa for visiting Vietnam and do not want to take a long waiting time for dealing with application requirements? Visa2Asia is here to help your process to run smoothly. Talk to us NOW!
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