Western New Year, Vietnamese New Year | SAIGON GIAI PHONG NEWSPAPER

Today is the last day of the Gregorian calendar. Tomorrow is New Year's Eve here. Friends in the West are eagerly counting down to New Year's Eve, wishing each other all kinds of wishes. Life goes on as it is. Having time off work, eating, drinking, and having fun with family and relatives is great. Congratulations, and hope for a brighter, more beautiful, and more successful New Year. I have never celebrated New Year's Eve in the West, only heard about it from friends. I just remember a little bit about celebrating New Year's Eve and New Year's Eve in the city, so I'll add a little story for fun.

In the past, Westerners celebrated for a whole season! From Christmas to New Year's Day. The beauty of New Year's Day is that it follows the festive atmosphere of Christmas. Young people in the city are the ones who respond most enthusiastically. Religious or not, Christmas is still an opportunity to dress up, to eat, dance, and most importantly, to express their love for each other. Adults are calmer, they celebrate New Year's Day as a sign that the year is over, and hope that business will be better in the new year. Children are happy because they have at least one day off from school, and that's it!

Tet, Lunar New Year, is different. Completely different. Tet has many important meanings.

From the elderly to children, the traditional New Year is very sacred, it is the day of family reunion. Those who have a hometown will return to their hometown. No matter how far away, they will return, except in cases of force majeure, which is always considered a loss, a torment, a heartbreaking sadness! Not only the living gather, but also the deceased. The altar is cleaned to welcome grandparents home to celebrate Tet. Tet officially lasts only 3 days, but preparations for Tet are made a month in advance. From the city to the countryside, every family decorates their house, wraps cakes, makes jam, and stores food for a few days without cooking. Celebrate Tet. There is a proper order and routine! On the last day of the year, they prepare a meal to worship their grandparents, and the children and grandchildren gather.

On New Year's Eve, we make offerings to bid farewell to the old year and welcome the new year. "The first day of Tet is for fathers, the second day is for mothers, the third day is for teachers". Etiquette is given top priority. The education and culture of a nation is clearly shown in the three days of Tet. All grudges, jealousy, even hatred are left behind for the old year. People forgive, sympathize, become closer, and love each other more thanks to Tet. People wish each other the best on the first day of the year, and always hope that those things will come in the new year. I believe in this, as I believe in the happiness of my childhood on Tet. All mistakes are forgiven, I get to wear new clothes, receive lucky money, eat and drink all kinds of things, and most importantly, I get to play freely without being scolded. A child who grows up without Tet will certainly have many things missing in his life!

There are many, many more, too many to mention. Tet is deeply ingrained in the subconscious. Tet is like a kind of faithful love. Life without a few days of Tet would be dull, tasteless and boring after a whole year of hard work and worries.

NGO DINH HAI

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