In Vietnamese life, these traditional activities have never disappeared; they've just sometimes been pushed to the sidelines by the fast pace of life. But in the modern context, where everything can be bought, ordered, and delivered, choosing to prepare for Tet (Lunar New Year) yourself is not simply a habit, but has become a way of life. It's a desire to return to a Tet made up of simple, slow-paced, and intimate things, where value lies not in material abundance, but in the process of creating together. When Tet is no longer a to-do list or a list of things to buy, but a series of days spent working together, waiting together, and sharing together, then Tet truly becomes Tet.
People often complain that Tet (Vietnamese New Year) feels "dull" these days, even though the feasts are more abundant and living conditions are more comfortable. Looking at the reality, this feeling of dullness doesn't stem from scarcity, but from the absence of truly meaningful family gatherings. When daily life is dominated by speed and efficiency, Tet becomes a rare opportunity for people to pause. Preparing for Tet with one's own hands is also a way to hold onto time, creating a necessary quiet moment for family members to truly be present together.
The essence of Tet (Vietnamese New Year) is most clearly expressed through its scents. There's the pungent aroma of ginger wafting through the small kitchen, the fragrant smell of sticky rice cakes from the neighbor's house, the bubbling aroma of braised pork simmering on the stove... These scents are not ostentatious, they don't need names, but they are powerful enough to awaken memories for many generations. For many families, Tet is remembered more by smell than by image, because scent is the most persistently rooted thing in cultural memory. The smell of ripe banana leaves mixed with kitchen smoke, the aroma of fatty meat and mung beans... all intertwined in the steam create a kind of "scent of memories" that, even with just a fleeting whiff, is enough to make those far from home feel nostalgic. Beside the pot of sticky rice cakes simmering all night, sometimes without many words, the invisible bond between family members is strengthened.
On the internet, the spirit of Tet (Vietnamese Lunar New Year) is being redefined in a more authentic way. Videos capturing scenes of cleaning the house, making jam, pounding beans, watching over pots of traditional cakes... are attracting much attention. Without elaborate special effects, these everyday images touch viewers with their honesty and the feeling of being part of the experience. In a world overflowing with virtual connections, sensory experiences like the warmth of a fire, the sweetness of homemade jam, and the bustling sounds of a family kitchen become a source of spiritual support, helping people rediscover what is truly enduring.
However, it's easy to see that the essence of Tet doesn't lie in the exact recreation of the past. It's present in how each family chooses to prepare for Tet today. A homemade banh chung (traditional rice cake) might not be perfectly square, a batch of candied fruit might not be uniform, but it is precisely these imperfections that create a unique identity, something that mass-produced products can hardly replace. As long as people still want to return to their home kitchens, remember and cherish familiar flavors, Tet will continue to retain its enduring vitality.
Amidst the worries of daily life and the ever-increasing wave of digitalization, rediscovering the essence of Tet (Vietnamese Lunar New Year) from simple things is not about nostalgia, but about preserving shared memories and preventing cultural life from becoming monotonous. So that each spring, we not only have a holiday, but also a scent to remember and a place to belong.
Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/tet-tu-nhung-dieu-gian-di-post837679.html
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