For Vietnamese people, Tet (Lunar New Year) is always a "sacred space"—sacred in the concept of reunion, in the incense offered to ancestors, in the laughter of children, and in the quiet moments to reflect on the past year. The beauty of Tet lies not only in its joy, but also in its spiritual "renewal": people get to rest and recharge their energy, families reunite to strengthen their bonds, and communities meet to revive faith and goodness. Therefore, saying "let January no longer be a month of revelry" is not denying the value of January, nor is it denying the festivals or beautiful customs. What we need is a change in understanding: preserving the essence of Spring but transforming it into a driving force for labor, creativity, and discipline; so that joy does not turn into lethargy, so that festivals do not become an excuse for stagnation, and so that beliefs are not replaced by the habit of "giving and receiving" and a mentality of "procrastination" in work.

In the folk belief, the saying "January is the month for leisure" once held its own merit. Traditional agricultural societies lived according to the seasons. After a year of toiling in the fields, people entered a period of leisure, perhaps attending festivals, enjoying spring outings, and "rewarding" themselves with relaxing days before starting a new cycle. But today's country no longer lives within that seasonal rhythm. Vietnam has entered a modern economy , operating according to supply chains, market forces, and the pace of technology. The competitive space is global, the labor space is digitized, and the development space is integrated. A day of slowness can sometimes mean a missed opportunity. A week of inertia can sometimes mean a contract being transferred to another partner. A month of lack of discipline can sometimes mean a plan being set back, a goal falling behind, and trust being eroded.

Illustration photo: Vietnam+

Especially after a long 9-day Lunar New Year holiday, it's easy to feel like you're "not getting back into the swing of things." Work appointments are postponed, administrative paperwork is still pending, offices are lit but the atmosphere is still "holiday-filled," business trips are delayed due to "first-year holidays," and projects are extended simply because of a lack of decisive action in the first week. We often console ourselves with the phrase "take it easy at the beginning of the year," but if this leisurely attitude repeats itself in many places, lasts for many days, and spreads into a social mindset, the price to pay is no longer just a matter for one agency, one locality, or one industry, but for the pace of development of the entire country.

We are at a point where every delay becomes costly. For ahead lies not just a new year, but a new journey. The 14th National Congress of the Party has established major orientations, strategic breakthroughs, and a stronger, more decisive spirit of development, oriented towards quality, efficiency, and sustainability. Goals are no longer merely "striving," but demand "thorough implementation." The country is heading towards 2030 – the 100th anniversary of the Party's founding. A century is long enough to look back, deep enough to reflect, but also close enough to urge us on: How confident, modern, and prosperous will we be as a nation entering 2030, and how solid will our cultural and human foundations be? And looking further ahead, the year 2045 – the 100th anniversary of the nation's founding – is a milestone of national aspiration: where will Vietnam stand on the world map, not only economically, but also in terms of dignity, intellect, resilience, and the soft power of its culture and people.

Therefore, January today cannot be a month of "leisure" in the sense of relaxing the work pace. January must be a month of starting. Starting from each agency, each enterprise, each construction site, each classroom, each laboratory. Starting from each individual in their awareness of time, responsibility, and efficiency. Starting from work culture – an important component of a development culture that we sometimes overlook. To put it frankly: A nation that wants to progress quickly needs not only capital, technology, and infrastructure; but also discipline in time, discipline in public service, discipline in labor, and discipline in execution. This is a very "cultural" discipline, because it is formed from habits, standards, attitudes, professional self-respect, and a spirit of service.

Here, it's worth reflecting: We often mention culture in symbolic areas like festivals, heritage, and art; but culture, first and foremost, is how we live and work every day. Culture is the self-management capacity of each individual, the ability to prioritize, the sense of keeping promises, punctuality, professionalism, and the spirit of putting the common good above personal convenience. If we consider culture and people as "endogenous resources" for sustainable development, then these resources cannot only shine on festival stages or in textbooks, but must be manifested in the rhythm of work: getting started immediately, completing tasks thoroughly, taking responsibility, innovating, and acting for the common goal.

January is also the clearest test of the quality of public service culture. A modern administration cannot operate according to a "festive season," nor can it allow procedures serving citizens and businesses to be slowed down by the "early year" mentality. Citizens need smooth service. Businesses need timely decisions. Investors need transparency and efficiency. The spirit of "creating development" cannot be excluded from the story of January. Because if January is a month of "slowness," then the whole year will be a year of "chasing." And when we have to "chase," we will be tired, passive, and easily miss opportunities.

But transforming January doesn't mean losing January. On the contrary, it's about keeping January more beautiful, more meaningful. January is beautiful not because we prolong the festivities, but because we know how to begin. Beginning with good wishes, but not stopping at just wishes. Beginning with pilgrimages, but not stopping at just prayers. Beginning with family reunions, but not stopping at feasts. Beginning with joy, but not stopping at just joy. Tet is only truly complete when it makes people better, warms society, and strengthens the nation. If Tet makes us procrastinate, makes us lazy, makes us make excuses, then it is no longer Tet of renewal, but Tet of depletion.

In the digital age, we need to be even more honest with ourselves. Social media can make spring seem to last indefinitely with images, celebrations, and continuous encounters. But this prolongation sometimes only prolongs emotions, not values. A beautiful photo cannot replace a good plan. A lively celebration cannot replace a useful initiative. A New Year's promise cannot replace concrete progress. What we need is to transform the energy of spring into the energy of action. The enthusiasm of the new year must be "linked" to work, to projects, to creativity, to discipline. And that's not a slogan. It's a choice. The choice of each individual, each organization, and more broadly, the choice of an entire society in defining "beginning."

I still believe that the Vietnamese people possess a special ability: the greater the goal, the more united and persistent they become. History has proven this. But in peacetime, this strength needs to be transformed from a spirit of "overcoming difficulties" to a spirit of "overcoming stagnation"; from a mindset of "waiting for the right time" to a mindset of "creating the right time"; from a habit of "following" to the ability to "take control". January is the first test of that spirit each year. If January for each agency, each locality, and each enterprise is a quick start, a clear work ethic, and serious discipline, then the whole year will have a good foundation. And if every year starts well, then the road to 2030 and 2045 will be less bumpy.

From a societal perspective, to prevent January from being a "month of revelry," a synchronized transformation is needed: from awareness and habits to mechanisms and setting an example. First and foremost is setting an example. If the head of an agency or unit works seriously and decisively from the very first day, if the work schedule is clearly implemented, if tasks are finalized with specific timelines, and if each New Year's meeting is not just about greetings but about assignments, commitments, and plans, then that spirit will spread. Setting an example is not just about words, but about taking the lead, about daring to decide, daring to act, and daring to take responsibility. Setting an example also means civility in festivals: Attending festivals to understand, appreciate, and rediscover the depth of culture; not for ostentation, not for crowding, not for "buying" luck with extravagance. Setting an example is how we treat time: Be punctual, keep appointments, and don't use the "beginning of the year" as an excuse for delays.

Next, we need to change social habits. Some habits are small but have a big impact: the habit of starting the workday by reviewing goals; the habit of setting clear schedules from the first week of the year; the habit of responding to work instead of saying "I'll do it after the Lunar New Year"; the habit of respecting the progress of others. Some habits need adjustment: prolonged gatherings during work hours, excessive New Year celebrations, religious visits encroaching on work, celebrating the New Year without maintaining discipline. Change in January will not happen if we only make general appeals. Change will only occur when each individual adjusts, each organization tightens its discipline, and each industry raises its performance standards.

And finally, there's the story of "culture of action." A country that wants to rise strongly must consider action as the measure of its belief. We can talk eloquently about aspirations, goals, and vision. But the world judges us by our ability to execute. The people trust us through concrete results. Businesses stand by us through transparency and efficiency. And history will record us through our valuable deeds. January, therefore, is not just about "getting back to work right," but about "re-establishing" the spirit of action from the beginning of the year, so that the whole year doesn't slip away in petty procrastination.

Some might ask, "But January still has festivals, spring outings, and other spiritual needs; should we just cast them all aside?" No. No one wants to cast them aside. Festivals are part of culture, and spring outings are part of life. The issue is balance and civility. Festivals can nurture identity, foster community spirit, honor heritage, and promote creativity. But festivals cannot be an excuse to waste time and resources. Spring outings can be a way for people to relax, connect, and rediscover inspiration. But spring outings cannot be synonymous with "taking extra time off" from work. We need a new concept: Enjoy the spring festivities without slowing down; enjoy the spiritual aspects without relaxing discipline; preserve traditions without clinging to stagnant habits.

Perhaps the most valuable aspect of Tet (Vietnamese New Year) is that it gives us the opportunity to renew ourselves. And renewing ourselves in this new era first and foremost means renewing our attitude towards time. Time is the most equitable resource: everyone has 24 hours a day. But it is how time is used that makes the difference between individuals, between organizations, and between nations. A nation that values ​​time is a nation that values ​​the future. A society that respects time is a society that respects each other. A governance system that considers time as a discipline is a governance system that considers efficiency as honor.

January, therefore, should be seen as the "opening of the new year" in the deepest sense: the beginning of a year of discipline, creativity, and progress. The opening of the new year is not just about cutting ribbons, holding celebrations, and offering congratulations; it's about starting work, launching plans, and initiating development. When each person begins their first workday with a clear goal; when each agency enters the first week of the year with a specific action plan; when each locality starts the new year with projects, tasks, and projects with set timelines; when each business opens the new year with orders, products, and innovation; when each school opens the new year with improved teaching and learning quality; then, January is no longer a month of "leisure," but a month of "building."

And then, we will see January become more beautiful. Beautiful because people are not only joyful, but also useful. Beautiful because festivals are not only crowded, but also civilized. Beautiful because faith is not only spoken, but also acted upon. Beautiful because aspirations are not only raised in greetings, but are laid down in every plan, every progress report, every product of labor. Beautiful because spring does not pass like a festival, but remains as a driving force.

We are approaching significant milestones for our nation: 2030 and 2045. These are not just numbers to hang on slogans. They are reminders of the historical responsibility of today's generation. That responsibility begins with very simple things: arriving at work on time after holidays, resolving issues without delay, maintaining discipline in the workplace, working with professionalism, considering efficiency as honor, and responsibility as culture. If each January is a month of strong start, then each year will have a solid launching pad. And if each year has a launching pad, then the journey to the nation's great goals will be a journey of confidence, courage, intelligence, and a mature culture of action.

To ensure that January is no longer a month of revelry, ultimately, it's not about diminishing our joy, but about celebrating in the right way. It's not about reducing gatherings, but about civilized celebrations. It's not about reducing ceremonies, but about holding ceremonies with the purity of spirit and the depth of culture. And most importantly: To enter the new year as if making a great promise to the nation – a promise of action, dedication, and the aspiration to build. Spring will be most beautiful when it continues with days of good work. And January will truly be meaningful when it becomes the month that marks the beginning of a year of rapid and steady progress on the great path that the nation has chosen.

    Source: https://www.qdnd.vn/van-hoa/doi-song/de-thang-gieng-khong-con-la-thang-an-choi-1027123