[2024] Performing New Year's Eve Rituals Inside and Outside, Welcoming Abundance into Homes

New Year's Eve is the pivotal moment marking the passage of the old year and ushering in the new year with ease and abundant joy. After setting up the outdoor and indoor New Year's Eve altars, at the most sacred moment on the night of the 30th Tet, the New Year's Eve ritual will be recited.

Performing the New Year's Eve ritual holds the significance of dispelling the negative energies and unfortunate events of the old year, preparing to welcome a new year of safety and prosperity. The New Year's Eve ceremony is an indispensable tradition. Let's explore the most authentic indoor and outdoor New Year's Eve rituals for 2024!

1. Outdoor New Year's Eve Ritual Script

The Outdoor New Year's Eve Ritual Text, sourced from the document 'Traditional Vietnamese Rituals' – Published by the Culture and Information Publishing House:

Namo Amitabha Buddha 
Namo Amitabha Buddha!
Namo Amitabha Buddha!

I respectfully pay homage to the nine heavens, ten directions of Buddhas, and the ten directions of Buddhas.
I pay respects to the Respected Present Bodhisattva Di Lac Ton Buddha.
I pay respects to the Respected Bodhisattva Quan The, the savior of all beings from suffering.
I pay respects to the Heavenly Emperor, Earthly Empress, and all revered deities.

I pay respects to the former-year Celestial Commanders, former Military Commanders, and former Judges.
I pay respects to the present-year Celestial Commanders, present Military Commanders, and present Judges.
I pay respects to the Five Directions, Five Tigers, Dragon Veins, Kitchen Gods, and all revered deities.

Now is the moment of New Year's Eve, marking the transition to the year ......

We are: …, born in the year: …, with the zodiac sign: …, residing at house number: ..., hamlet/neighborhood: …, commune/ward: …, district/municipality: …, province/city: …

In this sacred moment of New Year's Eve arriving, bidding farewell to the old year, welcoming the new year, harmonizing the three realms, and heralding myriad auspicious beginnings.

Now, the revered God of Wealth, under the command of the Jade Emperor, oversees all beings, offering protection from malevolent forces. The departing official brings blessings and grace, while the incoming official embodies virtue, filial piety, and bestows wealth and prosperity.

On the occasion of the Lunar New Year, devout believers wholeheartedly arrange floral offerings, present offerings with sincerity, perform ceremonial rituals, and offer homage to Buddhas and saints. They dedicate offerings to deities, burn fragrant incense, and bow in earnest supplication.

We humbly invite: the Former-Year Supervisor of Thái Tuế, the Present-Year Supervisor of Thái Tuế, the virtuous deities of the City, the local spirits of the Earth, the God of Joy, the God of Blessings, the Five Directions, Five Earths, Dragon Veins, Wealth God, and all divine beings overseeing this land. We respectfully request your presence to accept our offerings.

May believers, in this bright new year, be blessed with prosperity, all things auspicious, and peaceful seasons. May families thrive and prosper, every endeavor succeed, and each day be filled with divine grace from heaven, Buddha, and all revered deities.

We sincerely offer our offerings, praying with pure hearts. We bow to the nine heavens, ten directions of Buddhas, and all revered deities as witnesses to our earnest supplications.

Namo Amitabha Buddha!
Namo Amitabha Buddha!
Namo Amitabha Buddha!

New Year's Eve Outdoor Ritual for the year 2024

2. Indoor New Year's Eve Ritual

The Indoor New Year's Eve Ritual Text, sourced from the document 'Traditional Vietnamese Rituals' – Published by the Culture and Information Publishing House:

Namo Amitabha Buddha 
Namo Amitabha Buddha!
Namo Amitabha Buddha!

Namo Present Bodhisattva Di Lac Ton Buddha.
Namo Eastern Medicine Master Lưu Ly Quang Vương Buddha.
Namo Respected Bodhisattva Quan Thế, the savior of all beings from suffering.

I humbly pay respects to the nine heavens, ten directions of Buddhas, and the ten directions of Buddhas.
I pay respects to the Heavenly Emperor, Earthly Empress, Dragon Veins, Kitchen Gods, and all revered deities.
Our ancestral elders, both near and far, and all celestial beings.

Now, at the moment of New Year's Eve in the year .....

We are: …, born in the year: …, under the zodiac sign: …, residing at house number: …, hamlet/neighborhood: …, commune/ward: …, district/municipality: …, province/city: …

As the moment of New Year's Eve arrives, following the laws of fate, bidding farewell to the old and welcoming the new, at the beginning of the Tiger year, celebrating Tet, our faithful hearts earnestly arrange floral offerings, perform ritual ceremonies, present offerings, worship Buddhas and saints, dedicate offerings to deities, offer ancestral worship, light fragrant incense, and bow in sincere reverence.

We humbly invite: Ngài Bản cảnh Thành hoàng chư vị Đại vương, Ngài Bản xứ Thần linh Thổ địa, Hỷ thần, Phúc đức chính thần, Ngài Ngũ phương, Ngũ thổ, Long mạch Tài thần, and all divine beings overseeing this land. May you graciously descend and accept our offerings.

We also invite our ancestral spirits, ancestral elders, elder siblings, younger siblings, aunts and uncles, both paternal and maternal relatives, and all departed souls. We bow, inviting your presence to partake in the offerings.

The host once again invites the preceding and succeeding spirits, herbalist souls within this land, on the occasion of New Year's Eve, descending to partake in the offerings, witness the arrival of the new spring, and enjoy the offerings. May you graciously descend and accept our offerings.

May the faithful, in this prosperous new year, be blessed with all things auspicious, and may the four seasons bring peace. May families thrive and prosper.

In earnest prayer, with offerings presented, we humbly seek divine witness.

Nam mô A Di Đà Phật 
Nam mô A Di Đà Phật!
Nam mô A Di Đà Phật!

 The most accurate home ritual for New Year's Eve

3. What to consider when offering New Year's Eve prayers?

3.1 Should New Year's Eve prayers be conducted indoors or outdoors first?

According to folk beliefs, the ritual of offering New Year's Eve prayers outdoors should be performed before the indoor ceremony.

According to tradition, at the moment of New Year's Eve, the deities of Governance will descend from the heavens to take over the management of the mortal world. Due to time constraints, these deities often cannot enter every household. Therefore, the outdoor New Year's Eve ceremony is conducted to bid farewell to the old Governance deities and welcome the new ones.

Accordingly, the sequence of offering and reciting New Year's Eve prayers is as follows: Outdoor ceremony first, followed by the indoor ceremony.

Recite outdoor New Year's Eve prayers first

3.2 What is the correct time to conduct New Year's Eve prayers?

Usually, the New Year's Eve ceremony takes place precisely at the Rat hour, which means at midnight on the 30th day of Tet or the last day of the old year. This not only marks the transition from the old year to the new year but is also a crucial moment to bid farewell to the deities symbolizing the old year and welcome those of the new year.

You can conduct the outdoor New Year's Eve ceremony in the corridor or on the yard. Once the offering tray is prepared, recite the outdoor New Year's Eve prayers wholeheartedly, ensuring the spirits witness the sincerity of the household.

3.3 What does the New Year's Eve offering tray include?

The offering tray consists of both the outdoor and indoor New Year's Eve offerings.
The New Year's Eve offering tray typically includes a variety of savory or vegetarian dishes, and the selection depends on each family's conditions and preferences.
Here are some common savory dishes found on the New Year's Eve offering tray: