In the final days of the year, the streets are bustling with people hurrying back and forth to be ready for the New Year's Eve dinner with their families. Lively spring music emanates from the shops along the roadside, drowning out the sound of car horns. Bright yellow chrysanthemums in pots in front of houses, red flags fluttering in the wind, make the Tet atmosphere even more palpable. People are more hurried, more joyful, and sometimes easily overlook the things that quietly exist behind all that hustle and bustle.
Amidst the hustle and bustle of the days leading up to Tet (Lunar New Year), there are still quiet figures in their darkened protective clothing under the dim yellow streetlights.
On Yen Ninh street in Yen Bai ward, Ms. Nguyen Thi Hien (Nam Thanh Environment and Energy Joint Stock Company), in her green uniform with yellow reflective strips, steadily sweeps the streets. The rustling sound of the broom echoes regularly, a familiar rhythm of the city during Tet (Lunar New Year). Tet also brings a significant increase in household waste, making the work of sanitation workers more arduous than usual.
"Normally we work two shifts, but during Tet (Lunar New Year), we have to split it into three shifts to keep up. There's so much trash, we have to work continuously to keep the streets clean and beautiful," Ms. Hien shared.
She recounted that on New Year's Eve, after the fireworks display, they would continue cleaning up so that the streets would be clean by the morning of the first day of the new year. She only got the day off on the first day of the new year, returning to her daily work on the second day. Her New Year's celebration didn't offer much time for family gatherings, but there was one thing she quietly upheld for the streets: cleanliness.
Fireworks only blaze brightly in the sky for a few minutes. But to step out onto the first day of the Lunar New Year feeling peaceful and clean, some people have to start work just as others are finishing their celebrations. Some New Year's celebrations are measured by laughter. But for sanitation workers like Ms. Hien, the New Year is measured by the steady strokes of their brooms, by ensuring the streets are clean before dawn.
While the streets are filled with laughter and vibrant colors during Tet (Lunar New Year), hospitals have a different rhythm: the rhythm of white lights stretching along the corridors and the familiar smell of disinfectant.
At the Emergency Department of Lao Cai Provincial General Hospital No. 1, the on-call teams are always on standby. Nurse Cao Xuat Khoat said that during Tet (Lunar New Year), they often receive many cases of traffic accidents, poisoning, strokes, etc., with some patients arriving in critical condition, requiring immediate treatment from the very first minutes.
"There are moments of relative calm, but we always have to be ready. As soon as a serious case is brought in, we have to handle it immediately," nurse Khoat shared.
In the Emergency Department, the scariest thing isn't the rush, but the unexpected. The on-duty staff doesn't know when the next patient will arrive, but they must remain alert, focused, and resilient under pressure. Therefore, Tet (Lunar New Year) doesn't mean "less work," but simply another Tet holiday spent on duty.
Meanwhile, in the Intensive Care and Toxicology Unit, the pace of work is measured by each vital sign.
Dr. Vu Thi Thu Giang – Deputy Head of Department, who has been on duty on New Year's Eve for five consecutive years. During this time, the department usually receives cases of stroke, traffic accidents, and many serious illnesses in the elderly.
"Sometimes, while we're eating, a critical case comes along, and we have to stop immediately because even a slight delay can affect the patient's life," Ms. Giang said.
For those in the medical profession, spring is not measured in days off.
Their spring comes from the moment a patient is out of danger, from the relieved look in the eyes of family members when they hear the words: "It's alright." Here, New Year's Eve isn't in the sky, but in every breath they still manage to take.
During the Lunar New Year holidays, daily life changes, there's more movement, and gatherings last longer. During these same days, certain groups must work tirelessly and silently to maintain the rhythm of life.
In Yen Bai ward, a densely populated area with over 70,000 permanent residents, the police force maintained a high level of vigilance and intensified patrols to ensure security and order throughout the Tet holiday. On the night of the 29th of Tet, 100% of the force was on duty to ensure absolute safety for fireworks displays and art programs in the area. Lieutenant Colonel Duong Thi Phuong Nhung, Deputy Head of the Ward Police, said that the unit had launched a high-intensity security and order campaign several weeks prior, focusing on crimes and violations that are likely to occur during Tet. During this campaign, the ward police discovered and handled 5 drug cases involving 13 individuals; and successfully apprehended a wanted fugitive just before Tet. "As long as the area is stable and people can enjoy the spring safely, we consider our mission accomplished," Lieutenant Colonel Nhung shared.
The work of local police officers isn't always about big cases. Sometimes it's just resolving a drunken dispute, handling a minor traffic accident, or reminding a group of young people to stay out late. But it's these seemingly trivial tasks that keep the area peaceful during the first days of the new year. Maintaining peace in the neighborhood means ensuring each family can celebrate Tet (Lunar New Year) with peace of mind.
While many families gather around the warm glow of lights, elsewhere, electricians are still monitoring every operational parameter of the system.
To keep the rooftops lit on New Year's Eve, behind the scenes lies the quiet vigil of the power company's on-duty teams. In the control room of the Yen Bai Regional Power Company, Mr. Mai Vu Son and his colleagues monitor the remote control system, overseeing the operation of unmanned 110kV substations, ensuring stable connections to the medium and low voltage power grids.
At the Bao Hung 110kV substation, Mr. Vu Tien Dung and the operating staff are on duty 24/7. In the field, the power management force is intensifying inspections of vulnerable locations, promptly addressing any defects to ensure safe and continuous power supply during the peak Tet holiday season. Some Tet holidays are remembered for the glow of fireworks, while others are preserved by the fact that the lights in every home never go out.
During these days, the timely attention and encouragement from units, businesses, and provincial leaders are a great source of motivation for the forces on duty during Tet. Small gifts, meals provided during shifts, or words of encouragement at the scene, at the hospital bed, or at the power station not only have material value but also represent a heartfelt recognition of their silent dedication.
In the quiet moments of New Year's Eve, I suddenly realized there are sacrifices that need no name. These sacrifices silently permeate the sweat of sanitation workers, the alertness of doctors, the footsteps of night patrols, and the dedication of electricians. They celebrate the New Year a little later, a little more quietly, but it is precisely this "lateness" that has brought peace to countless families.
Spring is not just about the vibrant colors of cherry blossoms; it is also woven together by people who know how to live for one another, who are willing to shoulder hardships so that the community can fully experience joy.
Source: https://baolaocai.vn/nhung-nguoi-don-tet-muon-vi-binh-yen-cua-cong-dong-post893948.html
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