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2024 New Year's Eve ritual, invocation indoors and outdoors.
1. What is New Year's Eve Offering?
2. New Year's Eve Invocation.
2.1. Outdoor New Year's Eve Invocation.
2.2. Indoor New Year's Eve Offering.
3. Taboos to Avoid During New Year's Eve Offering.
1. What is New Year's Eve Offering?
Folk belief holds that each year is overseen by different celestial authorities. At the year's end, these authorities pass their duties to the incoming ones. New Year's Eve offering is seen as a ritual to 'bid farewell to the old, welcome the new', bidding farewell to the old deities and welcoming the new ones.
New Year's Eve offering ceremony is typically held at midnight, precisely 12 AM on the 30th of the lunar December. Homeowners should prepare 2 offering trays, one for outdoor ceremonies to express gratitude to the heavens and earth, welcoming the new deity, and another indoors for ancestral worship. Specifically:
- Outdoor offerings for New Year's Eve include five fruits, rice, salt, lamps, incense, candles, betel leaves, fresh flowers, wine, clothes for deities, clear water, boiled rooster adorned with red rose, sticky rice cakes, sweet treats, tea,...
- Indoor offerings for New Year's Eve typically consist of a tray of five fruits, incense, flowers, candles, cakes, candies, preserved fruits, wine, and a savory feast with square glutinous rice cake, sausage/pork pie or chicken meat, red sticky rice, green bean cake,...
It's believed that all the good or bad events happening at this moment will influence the fortune of all family members throughout the year. Therefore, during this sacred moment, people forget about the past year's misfortunes and sincerely offer incense, light candles, pour wine, recite New Year's Eve invocations, and pray for a peaceful and prosperous new year.
Why is it necessary to perform New Year's Eve offerings indoors and outdoors?
2. New Year's Eve Invocation 2024
Typically, outdoor ceremonies are conducted before indoor offerings. The New Year's Eve invocation for 2024 indoors and outdoors is prepared with the following content:
2.1. New Year's Eve Outdoor Invocation 2024
According to research by Mytour, in the new year of 2024, the deity governing the year is Ngụy Vương Hành Khiển, Mộc Tinh chi Thần, Tiêu Tào Phán quan. To bid farewell to the deities of the Nhâm Dần year and welcome the deities of the Giáp Thìn year, homeowners should prepare an outdoor feast and recite the 2024 Outdoor New Year's Eve Invocation below.
Homage to Amitabha Buddha (3 times)
Respectfully bowing:
I respectfully bow to the nine directions of the sky, the ten directions of Buddhas, the Buddhas of the ten directions
I respectfully bow to the Venerable Future Buddha Maitreya
I respectfully bow to the Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara, who saves sentient beings from suffering
I respectfully bow to the Heavenly Emperor, the Earthly Empress, and all revered deities
I respectfully bow to the former-year ruling deity Triệu Vương Hành Khiển, the Thirty-Six Heavenly Generals, and the Khúc Tào judicial officer.
We respectfully bow to the current-year celestial authority Ngụy Vương Hành khiển, the Wood Star heavenly generals, and the Tiêu Tào judicial officer.
We respectfully bow to the Five Elements, Five Tigers, Dragon Veins, Kitchen God, and all revered deities.
Now is the moment of transition from the Year of the Water Rabbit to the Year of the Wood Tiger.
We are: ..., born in: ..., belonging to: ... age, residing at house number: ..., hamlet/neighborhood: ..., commune/ward: ..., district/city: ..., province/city ...
As the sacred moment of New Year's Eve arrives, bidding farewell to the old year and welcoming the new, harmonizing the three realms, ushering in countless auspicious signs. Today, the honored God of Prosperity, under the decree of the Jade Emperor, oversees all beings, protecting them from evil spirits. The departing officials bring blessings and grace, while the incoming officials bestow virtue and fortune. On this auspicious occasion, we sincerely prepare offerings, perform ceremonial rituals, present offerings, worship Buddhas and Saints, offer homage to Deities, burn incense, and pray earnestly.
We respectfully invite: the Former-year God of Prosperity, the Current-year God of Prosperity, the High-ranking Gods, the Local Deities, the God of Happiness, the God of Fortune, the Elemental Deities, the Earthly Deities, the Dragon Spirits, the God of Wealth, and all the Deities governing this land, humbly requesting their presence to receive our offerings.
May our patrons enjoy longevity, uphold virtue, and witness all things prosper. May peace prevail throughout the four seasons, families flourish, and success accompany all endeavors. May they receive blessings from heaven, Buddhas, and revered deities every day.
We respectfully offer our sincere prayers and offerings. We humbly request the protection and blessings of the nine skies, ten directions of Buddhas, and all the revered deities.
Homage to Amitabha Buddha (3 times)
Image of the outdoor New Year's Eve offering tray for the Year of the Wood Tiger 2024
2.2. New Year's Eve Offering Indoors 2024
At the moment of New Year's Eve, along with the outdoor offering tray, homeowners should prepare savory dishes, vegetarian dishes, sweets, and offer incense, perform rituals to invite ancestors to celebrate the Lunar New Year with descendants. The details of the New Year's Eve offering invocation indoors for the year 2024 are as follows:
Homage to Amitabha Buddha (3 times)
Homage to the Future Buddha Maitreya
Homage to the Eastern Medicine Master, Luminous King Buddha
Homage to the Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara, who saves sentient beings from suffering
We respectfully bow to the nine skies, ten directions of Buddhas, and Buddhas of the ten directions
We respectfully bow to the Heavenly Emperor, Earthly Empress, Dragon Veins, Kitchen God, and all revered deities
Our ancestors, both within and beyond, ancestral spirits
Now at the moment of transition from the old Year of the Water Rabbit to the new Year of the Wood Tiger.
We are: ..., born in: ..., belonging to: ... age, residing at house number: ..., hamlet/neighborhood: ..., commune/ward: ..., district/city: ..., province/city ...
As the moment of transition arrives, following cosmic laws, bidding farewell to the old and welcoming the new, at the start of the Lunar New Year, our patrons sincerely prepare offerings, perform ceremonial rituals, present offerings, worship Buddhas and Saints, offer homage to Deities, pay respects to Ancestors, burn incense, and fervently pray.
We respectfully invite: the High-ranking Gods, the Local Deities, the God of Happiness, the God of Fortune, the Elemental Deities, the Earthly Deities, the Dragon Spirits, the God of Wealth, the Kitchen God, and all the Deities governing this land. We humbly request their presence to receive our offerings.
Furthermore, we respectfully invite our ancestral spirits, Ancestral Siblings, Paternal and Maternal Uncles and Aunts, Cousins, Extended Family Members, and all ancestral souls, humbly requesting their acceptance of our offerings.
Our patrons respectfully invite the ancestral spirits, predecessors, successors, and the guardians of this land, on the occasion of New Year's Eve, to accept our offerings.
May our patrons enjoy prosperity, witness all things flourishing, experience peace throughout the four seasons, and have a prosperous family.
With sincere prayers and offerings, we humbly request their blessings.
Homage to Amitabha Buddha (3 times, 3 bows).
After the 3-week incense burning period, transform the incense ashes into gold horses for the offering.
Illustration of offerings and the procedure for conducting the New Year's Eve ritual indoors.
3. Taboos to Avoid during the New Year's Eve Offering in 2024
3.1. Placing the New Year's Eve Offering Tray
- Placement of outdoor offering tray: The outdoor offering tray should be placed in the center of the courtyard, in front of the house, or at the highest point indoors (attic). For those living in apartments with limited space, the outdoor offering tray can be placed in the lobby, outside the apartment, facing towards their unit. Additionally, the host can place the offering tray facing south to welcome the Deity of Happiness or towards the east to welcome the Deity of Wealth.
- Placement of indoor offering tray: Whether it's a vegetarian or non-vegetarian offering, the indoor offering tray should be placed on a small table beneath the main altar. The main altar should only contain fresh flowers, fruits, gold ingots, and money. Some pure vegetarian dishes like sticky rice, sweet soup can also be placed on the main altar.
3.2. Who should conduct the New Year's Eve ritual?
Usually, the New Year's Eve ritual is conducted by men and the head of the household. If there is no male member in the family, it can be conducted by the female head. Prior to performing the ritual, the person conducting it should bathe, refrain from intimate relations for 2 days, and avoid consuming forbidden meats such as carp, dog meat, cat meat, etc.
3.3. Conducting the New Year's Eve ritual
After preparing the offering tray for the New Year's Eve ritual, the person conducting the ritual should light incense, candles, pour wine, water, light the altar, and place straight incense sticks into the rice bowl (if outdoors) or into the incense bowl (if indoors), and recite the New Year's Eve prayers indoors or outdoors as shared above.
Note: When placing incense, the host should insert them straight, not slanted or crooked.
During the ritual conducted by the head of the household, other family members should stand with folded hands, offering prayers to express reverence to the deities, ancestors, and wish for health, safety, and prosperity for the whole family in the new year.
Above are the details of the New Year's Eve prayers for 2024, the latest New Year's Eve ritual for the Year of the Wood Tiger, along with important considerations when performing the ritual. Read and refer to understand more about the significance of the New Year's Eve ceremony and prepare the offerings, conduct the ritual with solemnity, and uphold the traditions of our ancestors.
Alongside the New Year's Eve ceremony, choosing the auspicious age for housewarming and cleansing for the new year is also a spiritually significant matter valued by many families. So, in the year 2024, which age is auspicious for housewarming, bringing blessings and prosperity to the homeowner? Explore the article on how to choose the auspicious age for housewarming in 2023, for insights!
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