Vietnamese New Year, known as Tết Nguyên Đán or simply Tết, has its roots in ancient Vietnamese agrarian traditions and the lunar calendar, influenced by Chinese culture. Dating back over 2,000 years, Tết originally marked the beginning of the farming cycle, celebrating the arrival of spring and paying respect to ancestors and deities. 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 Tết, short for Tết Nguyên Đán (meaning “Festival of the First Morning of the First Day”), is the Vietnamese Lunar New Year and the most important celebration in Vietnam. Also referred to as the Spring Festival, it marks the arrival of spring and the start of a new lunar calendar year. 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. 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. Tết is more than just a New Year celebration – it is a time for family reunions, cultural preservation, and hopes for prosperity. Rooted in ancient traditions, the Lunar New Year is the most significant and celebrated festival in Vietnam. The Vietnamese Lunar New Year Tet (Tết) is one of the most important traditional holidays in Vietnamese culture. Similar to the Chinese New Year, Vietnam celebrates the new year according to the lunar calendar. In this article, we'll discuss Tet's history, traditions, methods of celebration, and cultural significance in detail. It’s a cozy occasion for Vietnamese people to gather around their beloveds, show respect to their ancestors, and celebrate a hopeful new year. From the vibrant decorations to the delicious traditional foods, Tet is a truly unique and special experience that visitors to Vietnam should not miss. Tet is based on the lunar calendar, and generally celebrated on the same day as the Chinese New Year. The date changes annually, but falls between mid-January and late February. Most Vietnamese people will have five days off for Tet. Tet celebrations can range from 3 days and continue for up to one week. Yet, there may be differences due to time zone offsets. For example, the Chinese Lunar New Year will be 1 hour or 1 day later than the Vietnamese Lunar New Year. Interestingly, the Vietnamese usually start Tet preparations two weeks or even a month before, creating a buzzing atmosphere at the spring entrance. Originally, the holiday marks the first full moon of the new lunar year and the end of the Chinese New Year. In some other Asian countries such as Thailand or Laos, the festival is celebrated around late October or early November to mark the end of the Buddhist Lent & the beginning of the festive season. If given a place to celebrate the traditional New Year in three countries, Westerners prefer to go to Beijing, Seoul and Ho Chi Minh City. On Quora, a foreign visitor was curious about the similarities and differences between the Lunar New Year of three Asian countries, Vietnam - China - Korea. The Lunar New Year — known as the Spring Festival in China, Tet in Vietnam and Seollal in Korea — is a major festival celebrated in several Asian countries.In Taiwan, this year, people have Lunar New Year or Tết Nguyên Đán, is Vietnam’s most significant celebration. Across Vietnam, during this time families reunite and honour their ancestors, while praying for luck, prosperity and health in the new year. The public holiday may only run for one week, but in reality, Tết celebrations last much longer. Instead, the New Year should be called Tết in Vietnam, or simply the Lunar New Year, rather than “Chinese New Year”. 16) Vietnamese Superstitions Around the Lunar New Year. The Vietnamese New Year is a very auspicious day, and good things that happen to them on the first day of the year will set the stage for the remainder of the year. The Lunar New Year is celebrated for multiple days and is one of the most important celebrations of the year among East and Southeast Asian cultures, including Chinese, Vietnamese and Korean communities, among others. Here's our list of top events. In the present day, Vietnamese religious believe that every 23rd day of December in the Lunar New Year (January 25, 2022), the three gods would travel up to the heavens to relay information to the Jade Emperor and pray for prosperity in the coming year. Vietnamese New Year or Vietnamese Lunar New Year is called Tết or Tết Nguyên Đán or also Tết Âm Lịch in Vietnamese. It’s the most important event of the year in Vietnam. If you are new to Tết, you can have a look at my previous article to better understand what is Tet and why it’s so important to Vietnamese people. Têt Nguyen Dan literally means the first morning of the first day of the new period. More simply known as "Têt," it is Viet Nam's version of the Lunar New Year and is celebrated by millions of Vietnamese all around the world to celebrate the Year of the Snake, beginning January 29, 2025.
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