Exploring the unique charm of Tet customs in the Mekong Delta

Tet customs in the Mekong Delta are unique due to the fusion of practices from fraternal ethnic groups such as Kinh, Hoa, Khmer, while also showcasing the distinctive beauty of traditional Vietnamese Tet culture.

Exploring the unique charm of Tet customs in the Mekong Delta

Cleaning house

As Tet approaches and spring arrives, the first task in the Tet customs of many Vietnamese people is cleaning the house. According to old beliefs, cleaning the house thoroughly is to get rid of old, unlucky things from the past year to welcome new luck and brightness in the new year. This thorough cleaning is usually done about 10 days before Tet to have enough time to prepare for other Tet-related tasks.

Picking apricot leaves

Picking apricot leaves is an indispensable Tet tradition for people in the South in general and the Southwest in particular. People often pick apricot leaves around the 15th of December, just in time for them to blossom in the early days of the new year. Along with picking apricot leaves, many families also take care of their gardens, buy flowers to decorate, and create a joyful atmosphere for Tet.

Sending the Kitchen Gods to the heavens

This is the day to send the Kitchen Gods back to the heavens, reporting what the household has accomplished in the past year and asking the Kitchen Gods to bring more luck for the new year. Early in the morning, women will go to the market to buy the freshest ingredients to prepare a feast to bid farewell to the Kitchen Gods. It must include sweet rice balls, symbolizing the wish for everything to go smoothly and favorably.

Visiting ancestral graves

From the 23rd to the 30th of December, family members will visit and clean the graves of their ancestors. This is a familiar custom of people in the Mekong Delta during Tet to show their respect and filial piety to their ancestors, inviting them home for Tet by bringing fruits and incense to offer and inviting them to their homes for Tet.

Displaying the five-fruit tray

The five-fruit tray plays a crucial role during Tet. Everywhere, there are different choices of fruits, but ultimately, there must be five types of fruits symbolizing the five colors of the five elements with the hope for a smooth, peaceful, and lucky new year. Additionally, there is a pair of watermelons with green skin and red flesh symbolizing luck and success.

In the Western region, people often choose various fruits to adorn the five-fruit tray such as pomelo, coconut, jujube, and mango. Furthermore, they avoid using fruits with negative connotations like bananas (bending down), pears (leaving), durians (sadness), and oranges (orange bears hardship).

Traditional Tet dishes

As Tet arrives, every household will have a pot of caramelized pork and eggs, hot cylindrical glutinous rice cakes, and many delicious dishes. People in the Western region often make cylindrical glutinous rice cakes on the evening of the 29th of Tet. The whole family gathers to wrap, cook, and watch over the pot of cakes throughout the night, which is very joyful. Besides cylindrical glutinous rice cakes, caramelized duck eggs are also a distinctive dish of Tet in the Western region, used for offering to ancestors, for family consumption, and for entertaining guests. Choosing caramelized duck eggs can last for a long time without spoiling during Tet, conveying a complete, auspicious message, bringing lots of luck and prosperity to the family in the new year.

New Year's Eve is a sacred moment, a time for families to gather together, reminisce about the past, and welcome a new year of luck, success, and peace.

Lucky money for Tet

Giving lucky money for Tet is one of our long-standing traditions. 'On the first day of Tet, father; on the second day of Tet, mother; on the third day of Tet, teachers,' during Tet, descendants gather to wish longevity to their grandparents, celebrate their parents' birthdays, and wish for abundant health and peace in the new year. Grandparents will give the younger generation vibrant red envelopes, symbolizing that in the new year, they will receive lots of luck, excel in their studies, and succeed in their endeavors.

Visiting temples on New Year's Day

In the first days of the new year, people in the Western region often visit temples to express reverence to the Buddha and ancestors. They pray for a year filled with luck, protection, success, health, and peace. Additionally, visiting temples at the beginning of the year helps individuals cleanse themselves of the past and become more pure. This is one of the Tet customs that has become a beautiful cultural aspect of our nation.

According to Mytour

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Reference: Mytour Travel Handbook