Tet and Chinese new year is a significant holiday in both Vietnamese and Chinese cultures. While the two countries share similarities in celebrating the New Year, each has its unique traditions and customs. Lunar New Year Traditions. In both Vietnam and China, the traditional Tet is celebrated according to the Lunar calendar. The Vietnamese New Year celebration of Tet, short for Tet Nguyen Dan which means “festival of the first day”, is celebrated over three days as opposed to the traditional 15 of the Chinese New Rarely, the dates of Vietnamese and Chinese Lunar New Year can differ as such in 1943, when Vietnam celebrated Lunar New Year, one month after China. It takes place from the first day of the first month of the Vietnamese lunar calendar (around late January or early February) until at least the third day. After living in China for 3 years as V-Trust Sales Manager and 1 year in Vietnam as V-Trust Country Manager, I am happy to share my experience and feelings, even if, for sure, I don’t know everything and they may not be exhaustive. Chinese New Year and the Vietnamese New Year (called Tết in Vietnam) actually have a lot in common. Different countries across Asia celebrate the new year in many ways and may follow a different zodiac. What is the Lunar New Year? The Lunar New Year — known as the Spring Festival in China, Tet in Vietnam and Seollal in Korea — is a major festival 4. Vietnamese New Year Is Different from Chinese New Year. 5. Vietnamese New Year Is Celebrated Either in January or February. 6. Tet Celebrations Last Much Longer than the 7-Day Public Holiday. 7. Honoring Ong Tao Marks the Beginning of Vietnamese Lunar New Year. 8. Preparation for Lunar New Year Begins Weeks in Advance. 9. While similar to the Chinese Lunar New Year, Tết has distinct traditions and cultural significance unique to Vietnam. The holiday’s origins date back to the 18th century B.C., influenced by Chinese culture, though it has evolved over centuries to reflect Vietnam’s unique customs. Americans might recall the 1968 Tet Offensive during the Vietnam War. Tet Nguyen Dan, shortened to Tet, is Vietnam's Lunar New Year and is the most important annual celebration and public holiday in Vietnam spanning 5-7 days. Tet celebrates the beginning of a new year as well the coming of spring. Exuberant festivities are held — traditional Vietnamese New Year is also called Tet. It falls on January 29th in 2025. Vietnamese people enjoy a 7-day national public holiday from January 28th (Tet Eve) to February 3rd, 2025. Vietnamese New Year is the most important festival of the year in Vietnam, celebrating love, the start of spring, and the best of hopes for the new year. It is The Vietnamese New Year was first celebrated by the Chinese in Vietnam over 2000 years ago. At that time, Vietnam was part of Ancient China and so the Chinese New Year transcended generations to become the Vietnamese New Year. The Tet festival was originally a three-day celebration, but it has gradually expanded to last up to two weeks. San Jose knows how to celebrate the Lunar New Year. Whether you call it Tet (Vietnamese), Chinese New Year (Chinese) or Seollal (Korean), our diverse Asian communities welcome the positive blessings of the New Year with festive food, family gatherings, musical performances and of course, red envelopes! Tet (Vietnamese Lunar New Year) and Chinese New Year share shares a common basis – celebrating the arrival of spring based on the lunisolar calendar – but differ in traditions, customs, and timing. While it coincides with Chinese New Year and Korean New Year, the Vietnamese celebrate Tết with our cherished traditions. This festive occasion marks the arrival of spring according to the lunar calendar, typically occurring between late January and mid-February. Along with many other Asian countries, both the Chinese and the Vietnamese recognize the Lunar calendar as part of their cultural tradition. It's a calendar that incorporates a zodiac of twelve animals in rotation. As a new lunar new year begins, the "year" of a new animal also begins. On January 29, 2025, we will start the Year of the Snake. Tet, or Vietnamese Lunar New Year, is the most significant and vibrant celebration in Vietnam. Marking the start of the lunar calendar, Tet 2025 begins on Thursday, January 29, 2025 WhatsApp 24/7 (+84)86 686 5000 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. What is Tet? Tết Nguyên Đán, or more commonly referred to just as Tết, is Vietnam’s most important holiday. Coinciding with Chinese New Year, it typically falls in late January or early February, symbolizing new beginnings. It’s a time for family gatherings with lots of food, honoring ancestors, and wishing for health, wealth, and happiness [] Each Chinese lunar year has a Chinese zodiac sign animal. The Chinese zodiac year's stsarting date is a little different from the Gregorian year. It starts from Chinese New Year. The Chinese zodiac years chart below is provided to help you find out the exact starting and ending dates of the Chinese zodiac years. (This is especially useful for Chinese New Year vs Tet New Year Both China and Vietnam follow the same Lunar New Year calendar and although some traditions are shared, others are unique to each country’s cultural identity. There is also the Korean New Year, known as Seollal, and other Lunar New Years celebrated in other Asian countries. The Vietnamese New Year celebration of Tet, short for Tet Nguyen Dan which means “festival of the first day”, is celebrated over three days as opposed to the traditional 15 of the Chinese New
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