Bustling "melon market" during Tet holiday.

Early in the morning at the Long Chau ward spring flower market, while the flower branches were still covered in dew, the watermelon market was already bustling with laughter and chatter. Round, plump, and vibrant green watermelons were polished and arranged in long rows; trucks lined up carrying watermelons, and buyers carefully selected pairs of watermelons for Tet, hoping for a prosperous and abundant spring.

Early in the morning at the Long Chau ward spring flower market, while the flower branches were still covered in dew, the watermelon market was already bustling with laughter and chatter. Round, plump, and vibrant green watermelons were polished and arranged in long rows; trucks lined up carrying watermelons, and buyers carefully selected pairs of watermelons for Tet, hoping for a prosperous and abundant spring.

Watermelons of various types, priced from 15,000 to 30,000 VND/kg, are now available at the Long Chau ward spring flower market.

Watermelon has long been a familiar sight during Tet (Vietnamese Lunar New Year) in Southern Vietnam. Its red color symbolizes good fortune and abundance, so on the spring feast table, alongside braised pork, sticky rice cakes, pickled onions, etc., a juicy red watermelon is almost indispensable. Many older people still remember that in the past, watermelons were mainly only available during Tet, and children looked forward to Tet because they hoped to eat watermelon. Therefore, seeing rows of watermelons piled high in the Tet market made people feel the spirit of Tet approaching.

Early in the morning, many watermelon stalls at the Long Chau ward spring flower market were still brightly lit. Sellers used cloths to wipe each watermelon until its rind was shiny; buyers bent down and gently tapped the rind, hearing a pleasant "pop pop" sound, then looked up to ask the price and choose another watermelon to complete a pair for Tet (Lunar New Year) decorations.

According to vendors, the watermelon market usually starts selling its goods from the 23rd day of the 12th lunar month, but is busiest from the 27th to the 29th of Tet. This year, the spring flower market in Long Chau ward has around 90 watermelon stalls lined up along Hoang Thai Hieu and Hung Dao Vuong streets, around Luu Van Liet High School and the Vinh Long Provincial Inspectorate. There are various watermelon varieties such as: Little Black Dragon, An Tiem, Red Sun, Sugar Watermelon, etc., sorted by size and color to cater to both immediate consumption and Tet decorations.

Watermelon prices this year have generally remained relatively stable. Round watermelons for Tet (Lunar New Year) celebrations range from 15,000 to 30,000 VND/kg; a pair of medium-sized watermelons for display costs between 150,000 and 400,000 VND.

Especially during Tet (Vietnamese Lunar New Year), large, round watermelons carved with auspicious words like "may all your wishes come true," "wealth and fortune," "peace and safety," "well-being," and "prosperity" attract a large number of buyers.

At a melon stall on Hung Dao Vuong Street, Ms. Le Hong Tham (Phuoc Hau Ward) was weighing melons while chatting. This year, she brought about 5 tons of seedless black dragon melons to the market, selling them for around 30,000 VND/kg. According to Ms. Tham, the melons this year are beautiful, round, and uniform, so they are quite popular. In the days leading up to Tet (Lunar New Year), the number of customers has increased significantly; many people choose melons weighing 7-8 kg each, buying several pairs at once to display or give as gifts. She also mentioned that many people have a habit of waiting until closer to Tet to buy, but by then the beautiful melons are usually almost all gone, and buyers have to choose quickly, making it difficult to find a pair of melons they like.

Not far away, Ms. Vy (a farmer from Dong Thap province ) was selling melons while rearranging her stall. She shared that her family planted about 7 acres of melons for Tet (Lunar New Year). “Last year, we harvested early, and after selling them, we were able to go home to celebrate Tet with our family, so we were very happy. This year, the melons are beautiful and the price is good. I'm selling them retail for 15,000 – 20,000 VND/kg. I just hope for smooth sales and a profit so I can reinvest in the next season,” she said.

According to Vy, although transporting the melons from the garden to the market herself is more tiring, the farmers have more control over the price and the market. "Sitting here selling them is fun; meeting different people, listening to them talk about Tet, makes me feel excited too," she smiled.

Besides the watermelon stalls, the watermelon carving artisans are equally busy. Tran Vu Hoai An (born in 2001, Tan Ngai ward), who has been doing this job for four years, is carefully carving each letter onto the watermelon that a customer has just chosen. Under her nimble hands, the thin green rind gradually peels off, revealing the letters clearly. The work may seem easy at first glance, but it requires dexterity, patience, and intense concentration.

Ms. Tran Vu Hoai An (Tan Ngai ward) meticulously carves letters onto watermelons to supply the Tet market.

An said that it takes an average of 15 minutes to complete each watermelon. This craft requires not only technical skill but also an eye for aesthetics, as each craftsman has a different way of carving and creating the designs; no two are alike. What makes An happiest is when customers wait, watching each stroke of the letter appear and nodding in approval, praising its beauty. An mainly carves the letters in a simple, unadorned style, without adding any extra decorations to preserve the natural look of the watermelon.

Last Tet season, An carved about 200-300 watermelons. This year, after only a few days at the market, she's already received orders to carve more than a dozen pairs of watermelons for display. Her hands constantly hold the knife, turning the watermelons, carving the rinds... repeating the process many times. An laughs, jokingly saying that it looks easy, but after Tet, her fingers swell up from holding the knife so much; her tools almost have to be replaced every year because the blades wear down with each Tet season.

Sitting at a nearby stall, Ms. Duong Thi Hong Dung (Phuoc Hau ward) meticulously applied glitter to the newly carved letters on a watermelon. Under the lights, the glitter sparkled, making the watermelon even more striking and attracting many onlookers. Having been involved with the watermelon market for about 6-7 years, Ms. Dung said that in recent years, the demand for watermelons with carved letters and decorations has increased, especially those with auspicious meanings for altars or as gifts. According to her, each watermelon takes about 20 minutes to carve and decorate, and the fee is calculated based on the number of letters.

Many watermelon vendors during Tet (Vietnamese New Year) have artisans who carve and decorate watermelons on the spot, serving customers who need their services immediately.

Another spot that attracted a large crowd was the laser-engraved watermelon machine in operation. Mr. Nguyen Thanh Tam (from Phu Quoi commune) adjusted the machine while guiding customers in choosing watermelons. "Since 2024, I've started using a machine to engrave watermelons and coconuts. It takes about 2 minutes to engrave one watermelon, faster than engraving by hand," he said.

According to Mr. Tam, the advantage of machine carving is that the images are uniform and can handle intricate details; however, it's necessary to choose watermelons with beautiful, round rinds. "Last year, I carved and sold about 10 tons of watermelons. This year, customers placed orders earlier, and the quantity has increased. I'm only accepting orders until the 28th of Tet (Lunar New Year) to ensure quality."

Amidst the bustling atmosphere of the watermelon market, many people are taking the opportunity to choose their favorite pair of watermelons. With its round shape, green rind, red flesh, and sweet taste, watermelon has long been a symbol of good fortune and abundance during the spring season.

Text and photos: THAO TIEN

Source: https://baovinhlong.com.vn/kinh-te/thi-truong/202602/ron-rang-cho-dua-ngay-tet-10f2a73/