Rural markets in the days leading up to Tet (Lunar New Year).

QTO - For those born and raised in the countryside, no matter how far they travel, memories always hold images of banyan trees, riverside docks, dirt roads, bamboo groves… and the atmosphere of the village market during Tet (Lunar New Year) and spring. In my memory, the village market in the last days of the year always appears particularly special: both warm and bustling, awakening all the senses from sounds and smells to subtle emotions in the heart.

I remember that in the days leading up to Tet (Lunar New Year), my mother would wake up earlier than usual. While the mist still lingered on the tiled roofs, I would hear the neighbor calling out, inviting my mother to ride her bike to the market. The market in my village wasn't large; there were stalls along the dirt road and small booths where vendors displayed their goods simply. There, you'd find farmers, their hands still stained with mud, carrying baskets of turnips, bunches of coriander, green bananas, or a few betel nuts and pomelos. The goods weren't numerous or fancy, yet the market was always bustling and lively.

Street vendors selling banana leaves during Tet (Vietnamese New Year) - Photo: MT

After the 23rd day of the 12th lunar month, the rural market becomes much more crowded. People go to the market not only to buy and sell, but also to meet each other and to better feel the atmosphere of Tet (Lunar New Year) approaching. Old acquaintances reunite, standing in a corner of the market, asking about the harvest, and whether their children working far away will be able to return home for the family reunion.

Back then, the rural market was like a familiar meeting place, where people entrusted their simple wishes for the new year. Sellers and buyers knew each other, chatting lively, without haggling or aggressive bargaining. Everyone hoped to sell quickly so they could buy sweets, sticky rice, and meat to prepare a full pot of banh chung (traditional Vietnamese rice cakes) for Tet.

In rural markets during the days leading up to Tet (Lunar New Year), flowers are an indispensable part of the festivities. Tet flowers in these markets aren't fancy or expensive, but they possess a unique, rustic beauty. Pots of vibrant yellow chrysanthemums, plump marigolds, delicate peach blossoms with their budding flowers, gladioli, and peonies in a variety of colors brighten up an entire corner of the market.

My mother especially loves gladioli, so every year she carefully chooses a bouquet with many buds and a vibrant red color. She says that having beautiful flowers in the house makes Tet (Vietnamese New Year) more joyful and warmer. Perhaps that's why I've loved gladioli for so long, even more than other flowers considered luxurious.

Nearby, the stalls selling ingredients for making banh chung (traditional Vietnamese rice cakes) are always crowded. Lush green banana leaves are neatly stacked, along with pale yellow bamboo strips and pristine white sticky rice in baskets. Just looking at them is enough to feel the festive atmosphere of Tet. My mother usually buys the banana leaves around the 25th of the lunar month, washes them thoroughly, and lets them dry before wrapping the cakes.

The rural market in the days leading up to Tet (Lunar New Year) is still filled with the aroma of cakes, fruits, and flowers. The sweet scent of candies, the spicy aroma of ginger jam, and the rich, fragrant aroma of coconut jam blend together to create a unique fragrance that only appears once a year. The market is also more bustling with children accompanying their mothers to shop for Tet. Every child's face lights up with joy at being able to buy new clothes and sweets with the money they've saved throughout the year. Tet seems to arrive faster in their eager eyes.

These days, rural markets are full of all sorts of things, almost as much as city markets. Mothers and grandmothers going to the Tet market usually buy more than usual. They carry bags and baskets, but everyone is happy, and hardly anyone complains of fatigue. Some even carefully write down the items they need to buy so they don't forget anything.

Tet, after all, only comes once a year, and everyone hopes to prepare their family with more food and decorations than usual. People in the countryside work hard all year round and are frugal with their spending, but when Tet comes, everyone tries to have some meat and a pot of traditional cakes in the house, to make the first day of the year more complete.

Around midday, the market began to quiet down. The sounds of buying, selling, and laughter gradually faded. Sellers carried their goods home, and buyers hurried back, taking with them their Tet (Lunar New Year) items and the excitement of anticipating the new year. The rural market returned to its usual peaceful atmosphere, but somewhere, the lively atmosphere of the last days of the year still lingered.

Amidst the fast-paced, ever-changing modern life, many say that few people still go to the traditional rural market during Tet (Lunar New Year). Everything can be ordered in advance and delivered conveniently to the home. Supermarkets and shops are popping up everywhere. But for me, the rural market in the days leading up to Tet will never disappear. Because it's not just a place for buying and selling, but also a place that preserves memories, maintains the beauty of the culture and traditions of a rural area. And every time I think about it, my heart slows down, and I long to return.

Minh Tuyet

Source: https://baoquangtri.vn/van-hoa/202602/cho-que-nhung-ngay-giap-tet-c7344ba/