Shopping for Tet is shopping for joy.

One of the things philosophers talk about today is that technology gives people more free time. The Lunar New Year is no longer something that keeps people overly busy, and they have more time to seek enjoyment.

One of the things philosophers talk about today is that technology gives people more free time. The Lunar New Year is no longer something that keeps people overly busy, and they have more time to seek enjoyment. Thanks to this, Tet (Vietnamese New Year) is arriving earlier and earlier. Instead of waiting for the first peach blossoms to appear on the streets or for the spring rain to remind them, Vietnamese people are already excited about Tet starting from "enjoying" the preparations for the holiday.

Towards the end of both the Gregorian and Lunar calendars, almost everyone becomes more hurried as the year's work deadlines draw to a close. This is when people clearly feel the arrival of spring, even though the air still retains the chill of winter.

While in the past, items for the altar or food for offerings had to be prepared well in advance due to limited supply, nowadays, what needs to be considered early are "expensive" items such as home renovations, purchasing new appliances, especially technology and home entertainment items. A living room adorned with "grandiose" items has always been the most suitable display space to showcase the homeowner's significant progress, a tenfold improvement over the previous year. More than half a century ago, Dong Ho paintings or Hang Trong four-season paintings were enough to bring the festive spirit of Tet to the living room, conveying aspirations close to everyday life and based on natural conditions. Today, modern audiovisual equipment can replace that, as they are fashionable standards of living. But those who love art or the splendor of the past have another, albeit expensive, way: collecting antiques and paintings. Antique items are therefore traded in markets just before Tet (Lunar New Year). In Hanoi , Hang Luoc flower market, while it may have a few rows selling peach blossoms, kumquats, or other Tet flowers, has many more stalls selling antiques and second-hand goods. It seems time stands still here. Things from a bygone era captivate people, making them want to pick them up and admire their traditional features, seemingly perfectly matching the emotions evoked by the approaching Tet. A bronze altar set, a vase with a four-season motif… One encounters items that seem to have stepped right out of Nguyen Tuan's short story collection "Echoes of a Bygone Era" or his essay "The Crab-Eyed Bronze Incense Burner," from a time when people were deeply attached to the past, thus preserving the spirit of a traditional Tet holiday. Although Hanoi has many streets like Nguyen Thai Hoc and Hang Gai that sell decorative paintings year-round, the recent vibrancy of the art market has made it easier to own a beautiful painting for the home during Tet, and it has also become a joy to possess a work of art with lasting value. Some homeowners desire to access masterpieces by renowned Vietnamese and international artists, and since their monetary value is considerable, acquiring these paintings must begin during the year. Purchasing a worthy artwork to hang in their home seems to fulfill the goal of a beautiful Tet holiday for art enthusiasts.

Heritage Magazine