Lunar New Year is a time for family reunions and happy gatherings.

Early in the morning, passersby seem to hurry as, inside the school, the children's voices chirp excitedly, "Tet, Tet, Tet, Tet is coming...". Somewhere, on their journeys far from home, those who have left their homeland are also longing to return...

Lunar New Year means the first day of the new year. It's not just the transition between the old and new year; it also holds many layers of national culture. Anyone, no matter where they are, hearing the words "Lunar New Year" evokes thoughts of their homeland, their ancestors, grandparents, parents, and relatives. And amidst the hustle and bustle of the end of the year, they inevitably find themselves returning to their birthplace. Or, if they can't, they pack many gifts to send back to offer to their ancestors, to wish the elderly and children a happy new year...

Tet is an occasion for those who live far from home to return and reunite with their families.

That's why my uncle, even though he lives far away and visits his hometown several times a year, always comes back in the days leading up to the Lunar New Year. He comes back to light incense and remember his ancestors and parents, to wander wistfully along the path leading to his childhood home, reminiscing about the old days. His children and grandchildren are always with him. That's how he instills in the younger generation the love for their homeland, the love of blood and kinship...

And it wasn't just my uncle; it was always the same. In the final days of the twelfth lunar month, the village cemetery would be bustling with returning visitors. Generations of villagers who had moved away would reunite, remembering their parents and elders, and sharing stories of their childhood... There were tears and laughter... The final days of the twelfth lunar month, therefore, became truly peaceful. All the worries of life were temporarily set aside, leaving only stories overflowing with love for their homeland and warm family bonds...

Returning to visit one's old village is one of the things many people prioritize doing during Tet (Lunar New Year). (Image: Internet)

Life is full of changes; villages and settlements welcome new people and bid farewell to others... That's why many places become old neighborhoods for many. Some people leave for good, but others return every year during the Lunar New Year to visit their old homes, even if they've sold their houses and their parents have moved to distant lands. My mountain village has one such person! I've met her a couple of times during my visits home.

She said that although her family now lives in Hanoi , she returns to Nam village every year during the traditional Lunar New Year. This is her chance to meet the most people, hear the most stories about her parents, relatives, and her own childhood. During these trips, she visits each house, lights incense to remember the deceased, wishes the elderly and children a happy new year, and arranges a warm meal with old friends... For her, these trips not only enrich the meaning of the Lunar New Year reunion but also help her uncover the most beautiful things in her spiritual life; they shape the culture of her life...

These days, in the villages, every household has erected a New Year's pole. My siblings, who work far and wide, have also returned home to help our parents prepare for the New Year. The villages and local markets are bustling with people. Rich and poor alike are busy buying and selling to fulfill the New Year's rituals. Amidst the buying and selling are the greetings and meetings between locals and those returning from afar. It's a hurried yet gentle atmosphere. Every word and exchange is softer than usual.

No one abandons the important rituals during the three days of Tet, and many families still maintain the tradition of making banh chung (traditional Vietnamese rice cakes)... (Image from the Internet)

I suddenly remembered the proverb my grandmother used to recite: "Even if you're furious to the point of death, you'll still be satisfied on Tet" or "Even if you're starving to death, you'll still be full on Tet." That's what Tet is all about; it's a time for people to put aside the hardships, frustrations, and resentments of the past year, so that on the first day of the Lunar New Year, they can open up to new feelings and new hopes.

In the drizzling rain of the last days of the twelfth lunar month, I suddenly thought about the increasingly diverse choices for entertainment during Tet. Some choose to return to their hometowns for Tet, others choose to travel far or near, but absolutely no one abandons the important rituals of the three days of Tet.

The Lunar New Year still retains its profound humanistic meanings, with rituals that express people's yearning and sacred belief in the harmony between heaven, earth, and humanity; reflecting the relationship between humans and nature in the spirit of agricultural culture, and with family and village in the communal spirit of the nation...

Wind Chime

Source: https://baohatinh.vn/van-hoc/tet-nguyen-dan-tet-cua-sum-vay-hanh-ngo/261446.htm