The feeling of celebrating Tet away from home.

The year ends, Tet approaches. It's an inevitable part of life. Yet, every time we catch a glimpse of a branch of apricot blossoms or a sprig of spring flowers just beginning to bloom, the hearts of those far from home are filled with longing and nostalgia. Like in other regions, the people of Quang Tri , even those living far away, still yearn for the Tet holidays, the scent of home, the smell of the fields, the smoke from the kitchen, the bustling village market on the last day of the year, and the tradition of wrapping banh chung and banh don (traditional Tet cakes) to celebrate the New Year.

Illustrative image - Photo: ST

Due to travel difficulties and limited family finances , some people who live far from home cannot return to celebrate Tet (Lunar New Year) with their families. However, wherever they are, they organize gatherings with fellow villagers and prepare for a warm and traditional Tet celebration. Ms. Nguyen Thi Thuy Ai, from Trieu An commune (Trieu Phong district), currently working in Pleiku, said that for her childhood, Tet was always something to look forward to. Only during Tet could her parents rest, making traditional cakes and cooking delicious dishes to offer to their ancestors.

"Tet is when my mother takes me to the Tet market, even if it's just to admire the goods displayed everywhere, the crowds of people walking around, laughing and chatting merrily. 'Tet is also when we get to dress up in new clothes, wear new hats, and new sandals, looking at each other with delight and pride,' Ai recalled."

As we grew older, we gradually understood our mother's frugality. Around September or October in the lunar calendar, after the harvest was complete, she would begin tending to the fruit trees in the garden, planting more flowerbeds and vegetable patches, and raising more chickens and ducks to sell during Tet (Lunar New Year). She saved up to buy each of her children new clothes, so they could enjoy Tet with their friends. Everything was for Tet.

Every day at the market, my mother would gather flour and sugar; chicken and duck eggs were also carefully collected; a small pig was raised to be slaughtered and shared among two or three families for the Tet holiday. As Tet approached, the preparations became even more bustling; the house had to be clean, mosquito nets and blankets had to be washed and dried, as if those things couldn't be done after Tet. She also picked and sold vegetables and fruits from the garden to earn money to buy more food for the holiday.

For those who live far from home, returning to their families at the end of the year, reuniting, and preparing for a joyful Tet holiday is perhaps the most anticipated event. But not everyone is so lucky. Geographical distance, unfinished work, and many other worries cause them to miss the "train home" every Tet holiday.

On a chilly weekend in Gia Lai , members of the Quang Tri Hometown Association met for a cup of coffee in the mountain town. During the conversation, Mr. Le Ba Chien Tich emotionally shared: “I’ve been away from Quang Tri for over 50 years. In the early years, no matter the circumstances, I always returned home to celebrate Tet with my family. The most joyful and meaningful aspect of Tet is the time for family reunion, for visiting relatives after so many years away in a foreign land. That desire is even greater for those who live far from home when Tet arrives. This year, my family couldn’t return home for Tet, but my wife and I still meticulously prepared the traditional Tet atmosphere of our homeland.”

As the Lunar New Year approaches, the streets become vibrant with the golden hues of apricot blossoms, marigolds, and money plants, and people bustle with shopping. Memories of warm and joyful spring celebrations with family flood back. In conversations, people from Quang Tri often share the traditions and customs of Tet in their hometown with their children and grandchildren, preserving the image of their homeland for future generations.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Hoan, originally from Ha Tinh province, has a family that settled in Dak Lak, but she married into a family in Quang Tri. She shared that every Tet (Lunar New Year), she and her husband return to her husband's hometown to celebrate. This year, with a young grandchild, she couldn't go home for Tet, which made her feel nostalgic. To this day, she still fondly remembers her Tet memories in Quang Tri. Those were the days of waking up early to go to the flower market with her mother and sister, seeing the simple joy and happiness on her mother's face when she chose a beautiful apricot blossom branch or flower pot; the warm atmosphere of the whole family gathering to cook banh tet (traditional rice cakes), watch the Kitchen God show, and visit relatives to wish them a Happy New Year...

Even though they live far from their hometown, when Tet (Lunar New Year) arrives, families from Quang Tri will meticulously prepare their supplies, soak sticky rice, and wash banana leaves to wrap banh don and banh bot loc (traditional Vietnamese rice cakes), or decorate their homes. To this day, they still maintain the custom of offering sacrifices to their ancestors on the 30th day of the lunar month, preparing a feast to honor their homeland and ancestors, and wishing each other the best for the new year.

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