Simple Tet, Happy Spring

Tet, the Lunar New Year, is a sacred moment of family reunion in every Vietnamese household. However, it also brings with it the constant worry of those in charge of managing the household finances. With the economy still volatile, balancing Tet expenses to ensure they are both affordable and full of the traditional spirit is not just a personal concern for each family, but also places a responsibility on all levels and sectors to ensure Tet truly returns to its original meaning: materially simple, deeply rooted in family bonds, and complete in every moment of togetherness.

"If you eat wisely, you'll be full; if you dress wisely, you'll be warm."

Amidst the hustle and bustle of modern life, with shelves overflowing with convenience stores, supermarkets, and markets, and the ease of closing a deal with just a touch of a finger, the frugal lifestyle of the past suddenly becomes a valuable "filter," separating the wheat from the chaff in today's family financial equation.

Tay women in Ha Giang 1 ward gather to wrap banh chung (traditional Vietnamese rice cakes), preserving the flavors of Tet (Vietnamese New Year).

Eighty-two springs have passed in her life, yet Mrs. Nguyen Thi Loi, from Hamlet 9, Thai Binh Commune, still retains a rare sharpness and lucidity. She is not just a storyteller, but a "living witness" preserving the simple yet warm memories of Tet (Lunar New Year) celebrations of the past. Through her stories, Tet during difficult times was never shrouded in the gloomy gray of scarcity; on the contrary, it always sparkled with the pure joy of abundance and contentment. Mrs. Loi vividly remembers how her parents tightened their belts and saved every penny just so that when Tet arrived, they could buy their children a new set of clothes. The children held their new clothes in their hands, the fabric smelling fragrant, cherishing them so much that they only dared to try them on before carefully folding them up, waiting until the morning of the first day of Tet to wear them to visit relatives and friends. That joy wasn't boisterous, but it was enough to keep the children excited throughout the spring. But the happiest moment, according to Mrs. Loi, was the pig slaughtering. “On the 28th and 29th of Tet, the squealing of pigs filled the village, and everyone, young and old, was as happy as if they were at a festival, because they only slaughter pigs once a year,” the old man recounted. The children eagerly awaited being the first to eat the crispy, fatty boiled pig's tail – something that “even the finest delicacies nowadays can't compare to.”

In the memories of many, Tet in the old days was also warmed by the night spent watching over the pot of sticky rice cakes. Mrs. Giang Thi Chia, from Ngoi Khu village, Trung Son commune, recalls the bitterly cold night of the 30th of Tet, when the whole family gathered around the glowing fire. “The children were sleepy but still tried to sit and watch the pot of sticky rice cakes, then fell asleep with their heads resting on their parents’ shoulders. When the cakes were taken out, they were wide awake, crowding around to enjoy the tiny ‘toad cakes’ – the leftover sticky rice and beans. Peeling back the hot banana leaves, with steam rising, and taking a bite, you could feel the chewy, fragrant texture deep inside,” Mrs. Chia recounted.

For Mrs. Vu Thi Nhinh, from Minh Thang village, Bac Quang commune, the concept of "luxury" in Tet (Vietnamese New Year) of the past didn't lie in lavish feasts, but in the warmth of family affection. Her memories of that "luxurious" Tet are of hours spent tending the fire to the pot of sticky rice cakes, of meticulously calculating every gram of meat and onion to ensure her family had the best possible Tet celebration amidst hardship. Her hands, once calloused from hard labor, now warmly grasp the hands of the younger generation, passing on a simple philosophy of life: "Happiness isn't about having everything you want, but about knowing when you have enough to feel truly rich."

Returning to the nostalgic memories of Tet in Tuyen Quang is like touching a realm of memories that, though simple in material terms, are immeasurably rich in affection and camaraderie. It was this scarcity that forged the valuable life lessons of "making do with what you have" and "eating wisely ensures satiety, saving wisely ensures warmth." Tet, therefore, sheds its materialistic glamour to settle into genuine values, reminding everyone that true happiness lies in togetherness, not in ostentation or superficiality.

Solving the "overspending" problem.

The mentality of "having a lavish Tet celebration" can sometimes become an invisible trap for even the most resourceful people. Ms. Nguyen Thi Thu, a retired official in Ha Giang 1 ward, understands this better than anyone. Recalling past Tet seasons, she gently shook her head: "Some years, when I calculated it, I was shocked to find that the money spent on Tet was equivalent to several months' pension. We bought a lot, but used very little. Looking back, I feel more anxiety than joy."

The festive atmosphere of Tet fills the streets of Tuyen Quang city.

The financial pressure becomes even heavier for those who work far from home, carrying with them the mentality of "returning home in glory." Mr. Nguyen Xuan T, from Ky Lam village, Son Duong commune, who works at a company in Ho Chi Minh City, shared: "The desire to assert my status among relatives and neighbors, coupled with the thought of making up for a year of separation from my family, led me to overspend. Expensive gifts, large red envelopes, or uncontrolled shopping sprees... not only left me broke right after Tet but also brought fatigue and worry."

Bearing the heavy responsibility of both father and mother, raising her daughter through university after her husband's sudden death in a work accident, Ms. Ma Thi D, from Ban Tuy village, Ngoc Duong commune, finds Tet (Lunar New Year) a constant source of worry. The absence of the male head of the household leaves her with a constant desire to compensate, fearing her daughter will feel inferior to her peers. This fear once pushed her to the limit: borrowing money to create a decent Tet celebration. But then, when the spring season passed, what remained was not joy, but the heavy burden of debt weighing on her already burdened shoulders.

When these invisible psychological "traps" are clearly identified, a subtle but profound shift in mindset opens a way out for those involved. For Ms. Thu, it was a journey back to being proactive in spending. "When I learned to stop and consider each expense, prepare a shopping list, and simplify things that weren't really necessary, I realized that Tet didn't become lighter because of reduced spending, but rather more peaceful because everything was just right," Ms. Thu shared.

Spreading warmth and well-being.

If contentment within each family is a necessary element, then the coordinated efforts of management agencies and the collective efforts of the entire society are the sufficient elements to create a joyful and peaceful Tet holiday.

According to statistics from the Department of Industry and Trade: There are 279 markets, 2 shopping centers, 4 supermarkets, and 54 Winmart+ stores in the province. These are the "extended arms" that bring Tet goods to every household.

Shan Tuyet tea, certified under the OCOP program and packaged in elegant packaging, is becoming a popular and meaningful gift choice for many families during Tet (Lunar New Year).

The robust distribution system and efforts to purify the market have paved the way for Tuyen Quang's key products to rise and assert their position. Currently, the province has 457 OCOP products with 3 stars or more, including 2 national-level 5-star products and 25 4-star products. Beyond their purely consumer value, local specialties are becoming increasingly popular in Tet gift baskets. Holding beautifully packaged boxes of 5-star OCOP Shan Tuyet tea from Phin Ho Tea Processing Cooperative (Thong Nguyen commune) at an OCOP sales point, Ms. Nguyen Thi Luong, from residential group 9, Nong Tien ward, shared: “Instead of prioritizing foreign goods as before, this year I decided to choose local OCOP specialties as gifts for my relatives. When local agricultural products are both high-quality and aesthetically pleasing, giving the flavors of Tuyen Quang is the most elegant and meaningful way to give Tet gifts.”

Alongside the bustling flow of trade, non-profit markets have also opened simultaneously, realizing the commitment of "leaving no one behind" during the Tet holiday. A prime example is the "Zero-Cost Tet Market" in Binh Xa and Ban May communes, organized jointly by the police and the Provincial Red Cross, which has translated sharing into action. Over 2.5 tons of rice and hundreds of Tet gift packages, totaling nearly 300 million VND, were handed directly to impoverished households. These practical gifts not only alleviate the burden of food and clothing for the people but also ignite hope for a fulfilling and warm Tet holiday.

Furthermore, the Tet holiday preparations also marked a strong digital transformation through the "Trade Union Tet Market - Spring 2026" program, organized online. Instead of traditional physical gifts, 3,070 union members and officials in difficult circumstances in the province received e-vouchers worth 500,000 VND each from the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor. This empowered beneficiaries to proactively purchase essential Tet supplies while stimulating domestic consumption and widely promoting the spirit of "Vietnamese people prioritize using Vietnamese goods."

Putting aside worries, we realize that a simple Tet (Lunar New Year) is never monotonous when we know "enough," respect traditional values, but don't let ourselves be bound by ostentatious habits. When the burden of expenses is lifted, spring truly returns to its most sacred essence: the season of reunion, the season of love, and the season of peaceful new beginnings.

Thu Phuong

Source: https://baotuyenquang.com.vn/xa-hoi/202601/tet-don-gian-xuan-hanh-phuc-9c86bf2/