Preserving the beauty of the custom of visiting first on the house and picking spring luck

For Vietnamese people in general, and the people of Thanh Hoa province in particular, Tet Nguyen Dan (Lunar New Year) is not only a time for family reunions but also a time filled with many traditional customs and practices. Among them, the custom of "first-footing" and "picking lucky branches in the spring" is an important "opening" activity on the first day of the new year.

Ms. Do Thi Nga (Dong Ve ward, Thanh Hoa city) welcomes the first visitor of the new year, the Year of the Snake 2025.

The custom of "first-footing" or "first-entering the house" originates from the belief that the first person to step into a house on the first day of Tet (Lunar New Year) will bring good luck and fortune to the homeowner throughout the year. As the clock slowly ticks past midnight, everyone prepares to welcome a new year filled with good fortune. At this moment, people believe that all the misfortunes of the old year will pass, making way for a new beginning. Therefore, the first person to enter the house – the "first-footer" – is expected to bring good luck and prosperity to the homeowner's family.

To this day, choosing the first person to enter a house on New Year's Day is considered very important by many families, especially those involved in business and trade. Ms. Do Thi Nga (Dong Ve Ward, Thanh Hoa City), who runs a restaurant business, consulted with her family about compatible ages before Tet and asked someone to be the first person to enter her house on the first day of the Lunar New Year.

"Besides age, personality is also very important. The person who came to be the first visitor to my family's house this year is someone with a cheerful, optimistic, and sociable personality. My family isn't overly superstitious, but having a suitable first visitor in the new year makes me happy, hoping that everything will start smoothly, and that business will be prosperous," said Ms. Nga.

For some families, the custom of first-footing has been simplified. Some families choose to be the first-footer themselves, or simply select someone virtuous, cheerful, and enthusiastic. They believe that the tradition of first-footing is a beautiful cultural practice, so the choice of person and age is merely for reference. The important thing is to ensure joy for both the homeowner and the first-footer, and to together look forward to good things in the new year.

Mr. Le Van Nong (Dong Ninh commune, Thanh Hoa city) said: “The first person to enter our house on New Year's Day is very important to many families. But for our family, it's 'by chance'. If the first person to come to wish us a Happy New Year has a compatible zodiac sign, of course we're very happy, but if not, we're still happy. Everyone who comes to our house brings good wishes, which is a lucky gift for the new year. Because life always requires effort and hard work, difficulties are unavoidable. We can't have a bad mood on the first day of the new year just because the first person to enter our house isn't suitable.”

Ms. Nguyen Thi Hoa (in white shirt) and her children visited Phu Tia Historical Site to offer incense and pick lucky branches at the beginning of spring.

The custom of "picking auspicious branches at the beginning of spring" is almost universally practiced in most localities throughout the province. People pick auspicious branches at the beginning of spring with the hope of receiving blessings from the deities, bringing prosperity and good fortune to their families in the new year. In Van Son commune (Trieu Son district), many people often visit the Phu Tia historical site right after midnight on New Year's Eve or on the morning of the first day of Tet. Previously, many people would come here to pick a young branch to take home; however, this practice has now ceased as people are more conscious of protecting the landscape and environment. Ms. Nguyen Thi Hoa (village 8, Van Son commune) said: "On the first day of the new year, my children and I often come here to sincerely offer incense and ask for blessings, hoping for a peaceful and prosperous new year. People usually buy a small packet of salt, a packet of rice, or a box of matches, a lighter, or a branch of gold and jade leaves... symbolizing abundance and good luck in the new year."

For Vietnamese people, the custom of "first visitor" and "picking lucky branches" at the beginning of spring holds profound spiritual meanings and values, reflecting the aspiration for a new year filled with good fortune and luck. From another perspective, this custom also signifies emotional connection and a pursuit of goodness. These are beautiful customs that need to be understood correctly and practiced respectfully, so that the positive traditional cultural values ​​of the spring season can be preserved and passed down to future generations.

Hoai Anh

Source: https://baothanhhoa.vn/gin-giu-net-dep-tuc-xong-dat-and-hai-loc-dau-xuan-238288.htm