Top 10 Significances of Tet Nguyen Dan You Should Know

Tet Nguyen Dan holds profound humanitarian significance, seen as an auspicious day, a time of harmony between heaven, earth, and humans. Therefore, many believe that their thoughts, desires, and actions will be heard, understood, and blessed by the deities. Hence, on Tet Nguyen Dan, people often engage in charitable deeds such as giving new clothes, sharing food, assisting the poor and needy... On the 23rd day of the 12th lunar month, families perform the Kitchen Gods' ritual. According to tradition, the Kitchen Gods return to heaven on this day to report the earthly affairs to the Jade Emperor for the past year. This is a modest ceremony conducted within families. Additionally, on the 30th lunar day, before the transition moment between the old and the new year, families prepare a feast to offer to the Kitchen Gods.

Tet Nguyen Dan signifies the communion between heaven, earth, and humans with the divine. Considering the relationship between humans and nature, Tet, derived from the weather, follows the cosmic operation, manifested in the orderly transition of the seasons: Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter - holds special significance for a society still primarily agrarian. Stemming from the folk belief 'Gratitude for rain and sunshine,' farmers also see this as an occasion to remember the deities associated with the success or failure of harvests, such as the Earth God, Rain God, Thunder God, Water God, Sun God... Farmers also remember the contributions of animals and plants that support them, from rice grains to livestock, during these days.

Before Tet arrives, in the last days of the year, every household has the tradition of grave visiting to remember the deceased. Then, on New Year's Eve, the ancestral altar always emits the fragrant smoke, symbolizing the connection between the present generation and the past through the ritual of welcoming the ancestors. This is one of the ways to express the inherent respect and filial piety of the Vietnamese people. Vietnamese families often prepare a tray with five types of fruits, known as 'five-fruit tray,' on the ancestral altar, which must be meticulously cleaned and adorned with traditional Tet items specific to each region and family's customs.

Tet is also a day of reunion with those who have passed away. Starting from the dinner on the 30th, before New Year's Eve, families light incense to invite the spirits of ancestors and departed relatives to enjoy the meal and celebrate Tet with their descendants (ancestor worship). From then until the end of Tet, the incense on the ancestral altar blends with the sacred atmosphere of universal harmony, making people feel more connected to their families than ever. After Tet Nguyen Dan, life begins a new cycle of the year. People return to their daily work, carrying with them the warm family feelings cultivated during Tet, aiming for happiness and new successes in the future.

Vietnamese people have the tradition, every Tet, regardless of their occupation or location, to yearn for reuniting under the warmth of the family roof during the 3 Tet days. They long to pay respects at the ancestral altar, revisit the ancestral house, tomb, well, backyard, and relive the cherished memories of childhood. 'Returning home for Tet' is not merely a customary phrase but a pilgrimage back to the roots, where seeds were planted and nurtured. According to Vietnamese belief, the first day of Tet signifies reunion, extending family bonds beyond kin and neighbors, intertwining societal norms: familial love, teacher-student relationships, patient-doctor rapport, old matchmakers who once forged couples, enduring friendships, and more.

Tet Nguyen Dan is Vietnam's longest holiday, providing people with time to set aside their main occupations, return to their homeland, and reunite with loved ones after a long year of separation for the sake of a meager livelihood. The precious moments of family reunion are invaluable, adding profound meaning to Tet Nguyen Dan. During the extended Tet holiday, Vietnamese people often share the most intimate year-end meal with family and beloved ones. An old saying goes, 'First day of Tet for fathers, second for mothers, third for teachers,' highlighting the time for each individual to enjoy, visit their loved ones, not only parents but also those who contributed to their upbringing.

Tet marks the first day of the new year, offering everyone the opportunity to reflect on the past and 'refresh' everything. Renewal may take various forms such as cleaning, whitewashing, painting, and redecorating homes. Floors are scrubbed, candlesticks and incense burners are polished. Furniture is cleaned thoroughly. Both adults and children bathe and wear new clothes. It's also a time for emotional and spiritual renewal, fostering closer bonds with loved ones, and a sense of relaxation and joy... All debts are settled before stepping into the new year. For each individual, grievances and disputes are set aside. For at least three Tet days, people laugh and converse politely with each other, hoping for good relationships throughout the coming year.

Tet day signals the beginning of a long year filled with opportunities, challenges, and new operations. Many people often consult auspicious hours, days, and months to start new ventures, open businesses for the new year with hopes of better luck, smoother operation, and more success than the previous year. Therefore, Tet day holds significant importance for the commencement of work in the new year. Additionally, Tet days are suitable for some families to start building houses, buying and selling land. Many families also choose the early days of the new year to start businesses everywhere, hoping for favorable outcomes.

Many people believe that Tet Nguyen Dan is the day when the God of Wealth knocks on each door to bestow wealth, prosperity, and abundance. Therefore, it's an opportunity for everyone to open their doors wide to welcome prosperity into their homes, ushering in luck, goodness, and wealth from the God of Wealth. Many families often keep their doors open all day to greet joy, excitement, and hopes for abundant wealth. Some businesses even open their doors for sales from the first day if it's deemed auspicious and suitable for the owner's zodiac sign to welcome prosperity for the new year.

In addition, in Vietnamese tradition, on the first day of the new year, children in each household will wear new clothes and visit their elders to offer Tet wishes before receiving lucky money envelopes. Traditional Tet wishes carrying meanings of luck in Vietnamese customs from ancient times to the present are still preserved, such as 'Happy New Year,' 'Longevity,' 'Safety and Prosperity,' 'Everything goes as you wish,' 'Good health,' 'May money flow like water'...

For many, Tet is also a day when Matchmaker deities weave destinies for those still single or in search of love. Amidst the festive atmosphere and joy of spring, the blissful anticipation of newfound love and happiness fills the hearts of those seeking companionship. On spring days, many young men and women gather to temples to seek fate, and people also organize spring excursions in hopes of good luck and auspicious encounters.

Not only in serene places like temples or festivals but also during early year excursions, singles get the chance to experience the joys of the new year, leave behind the troubles of the past year, make new friends, and find meaningful relationships. Because Tet is often a day of seeking fate, the air is filled not only with lively spring songs but also with excitement from vibrant wedding music, echoing with celebration and joy.

Many believe that the early days of the year are often fortunate and auspicious. That fortune blends into the apricot blossoms, peach blossoms, onto the fresh green leaves, and onto the trays of five fruits. Therefore, many people often cut a few fresh flower branches hoping to gather the luck of spring. It's called 'picking luck' at the beginning of spring. Vietnamese people believe that the joyous days of the new year herald a beautiful new year to come. The old year passes with its misfortunes, and the new year begins with people's optimism about life. If the old year was quite lucky, the luck will extend into the next year. With this meaning, Tet is also a day of optimism and hope.

Vietnamese people also believe that the first guest each family receives on the first day of the new year will determine their luck for the entire year. According to tradition, if good things happen to the family on the 1st day of Tet, then the entire year ahead will be filled with joy and laughter. Those with good character and achievements will bring good fortune to the homeowner in the new year. This is an activity called 'house blessing' or 'home visit.' Cleaning the house during Tet is also taboo because Vietnamese people believe that cleaning the house will sweep away the luck and fortune of the entire year. If a family member visits another family during Tet, it is also considered unlucky and prohibited on Tet day.

Tết Nguyên Đán is an opportunity for everyone to express love and care for each other, sending sincere and beautiful wishes. Clearly, on these days, adults should limit scolding children, restrict quarrels to create the most harmonious, intimate, and warm atmosphere. Animosity and conflicts should be set aside to be replaced by loving words, warming each other's hearts to create goodwill and harmony for the upcoming new year.

According to tradition, Tet signifies a lucky day, so all family members should avoid conflicts, arguments, to avoid misfortune for the whole year, so they will try to maintain harmony, affection, and love for each other. However, this can also be understood as a way to express affection for family members after a year of hard work and hardship. Love, harmony, and doing good deeds are ways for all members to share, maintain harmony for the family and friends.

Vietnamese people believe that Tet Nguyen Dan marks the beginning of a new year, a day of renewal with new beliefs, bidding farewell to the past of the old year. Therefore, people often renovate their homes to be clean, tidy, and fresh to welcome the newness of the new year. Unlucky and unfavorable things from the old year will be driven away to embrace optimism, hope, and freshness in the coming new year.

Because it signifies the new year, many people also take the opportunity to tidy up old unused items, buy new items that are more useful. Family members also wear new clothes prepared to wear during Tet, visit grandparents, relatives, teachers, and friends.

Vietnamese people often choose Tet as a day of thanksgiving. Immersed in the warm and joyful atmosphere, children thank their parents for giving birth and nurturing them, parents thank their ancestors through offerings, fruit trays, employees thank their superiors through sincere wishes and respect, leaders also thank their employees through banquets or Tet bonuses… Tet is everyone's birthday, so everyone gets a year older, hence the common greeting when meeting is to congratulate each other on getting a year older.

Adults have a tradition of celebrating the birthdays of young children and the elderly to wish the children to grow up well-behaved and smart; and for the elderly to live long and healthy so that they can receive filial piety and blessings. According to tradition, the first day of the lunar new year is spent visiting relatives and family. According to Vietnamese tradition, but not strictly, and depending on the customs and habits of each family, they will visit friends or teachers. Usually, the first and second days of the lunar new year are spent with family, the third day is for visiting teachers, and the fourth and fifth days are for enjoying time with close friends.