Western New Year, Lunar New Year | Saigon Liberation Newspaper

Photo: DUNG PHUONG

Today is the last day of the Gregorian calendar year. Tomorrow is New Year's Day in Vietnam. Friends abroad are eagerly counting down to New Year's Eve, exchanging all sorts of greetings. Life is different wherever you live. Being able to take time off work, eat, and have fun with family and loved ones is wonderful. They also offer congratulations and hope for a brighter, more beautiful, and more successful new year. I've never experienced New Year's Day in the West, only heard about it from friends. I'm just sharing a few stories about celebrating New Year's Day and the Lunar New Year in the city for fun.

In the past, people followed Western customs and celebrated for an entire season! This lasted from Christmas until New Year's Day. The beauty of New Year's Day was that it captured the festive atmosphere of Christmas. Young people in the city were the most enthusiastic participants. Whether religious or not, Christmas was an opportunity to dress up, to eat, drink, dance, and especially to express their romantic feelings. Adults were more reserved; they celebrated New Year's Day as a sign that the year was over, and hoped for a better year ahead. Children, on the other hand, were simply happy to have at least one day off from school, and that was it!

When it comes to the Lunar New Year, it's different. Completely different. The holiday carries much greater significance.

From the elderly to the children, the traditional Lunar New Year is sacred, a day of family reunion. Those who have a hometown return home. No matter how far away, they return, except in unavoidable circumstances, which are always considered a loss, a source of regret and heartbreak! It's not just the living who reunite, but also the deceased. The ancestral altar is cleaned to welcome ancestors back for the New Year. The official New Year only lasts three days, but preparations begin a month in advance. From cities to villages, every household decorates their homes, makes traditional cakes and preserves, and stockpiles food for several days without cooking. It's the New Year celebration. There's a proper, structured plan! On New Year's Eve, a feast is prepared to honor ancestors, and children and grandchildren gather together.

On New Year's Eve, people offer sacrifices to bid farewell to the old year and welcome the new. "The first day of Tet is for the father, the second for the mother, and the third for the teacher." Etiquette and respect are paramount. The educational and cultural values ​​of a nation are clearly demonstrated during these three days of Tet. All grudges, jealousy, and even hatred are left behind in the old year. People forgive, empathize, become closer, and love each other more because of Tet. People wish each other the best on the first day of the year, and always hope that these things will come in the new year. I believe in this, just as I believe in the happiness of my childhood during Tet. Mistakes are forgiven, children wear new clothes, receive lucky money, eat all sorts of food, and most importantly, play freely without being scolded. A child who grows up without Tet celebrations will surely have many things missing in their life!

There's so much more, too many to list. Tet is deeply ingrained in our consciousness. Tet is like a faithful love. After a year of hard work and worries, life would be dull, meaningless, and boring without the Tet holidays.

NGO DINH HAI

Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/tet-tay-tet-ta-post720728.html