December is coming.

When the rains of central Vietnam, my hometown, begin to lessen, and the dry, late-winter sunshine appears, that's when December arrives. I leisurely drive out into the city. The scent of Tet (Vietnamese New Year) begins to fill the air.

December is coming.

In early December, the leaves of the apricot blossom tree are pruned in preparation for budding and blooming - Photo: TU LINH

At the entrance to the market, the old woman selling incense still sits there, occasionally burning a stick of incense, the warm fragrance spreading, deeply touching the hearts and awakening homesickness in those far from home. Tailors are busy sewing for Tet (Lunar New Year) while preparing offerings for the ancestral commemoration of the tailoring trade. The twelfth lunar month is also the month of the ancestral commemoration of the founders of masonry, carpentry, and blacksmithing, expressing gratitude and remembering the contributions of those who came before, and wishing for smooth progress and development in their chosen profession. This is not only a beautiful cultural tradition preserving long-standing values but also an opportunity for those in the trade to gather at the end of the year, strengthening their faith in their chosen profession. On the ancestral commemoration day, besides gratitude and wishes for health and peace, people also pray for a new year of smooth and successful work, and abundant wealth.

Along the streets, taking advantage of the sunshine, many houses repaint their fences and even repaint the lampposts in front of their houses to give them a fresh look. Here and there, a worn-out sign hangs in front of a house, advertising polishing services for ancestral altars – a job only available in the twelfth lunar month, evoking many memories of Tet (Lunar New Year) of yesteryear. Further out in the suburbs, the bustling sounds of people picking leaves from apricot blossom trees to ensure the flowers bloom precisely when spring arrives, bringing good fortune and prosperity to the household. The cheerful chatter and laughter of people preparing the soil to sow seeds of mustard greens, coriander, and chrysanthemum greens, waiting for them to sprout, echo from all directions. Those sowing seeds seem to be sowing faith and hope for a warm and peaceful new spring.

The air carries the pungent aroma of onions and shallots drying in the midday sun. Even though ready-made pickled vegetables are widely available in markets and supermarkets during Tet (Lunar New Year), the women here still prefer to personally cut and trim papayas, radishes, carrots, onions, and shallots, drying them just right in the sun to create this traditional Tet dish. The pickled vegetables must be homemade, sun-dried, pristine white, and fragrant. The fish sauce must be high-quality fish sauce from Cua Viet or Cua Tung, cooked with rock sugar to create a clear, golden-yellow mixture, resulting in a crispy and delicious pickle that pairs perfectly with sticky rice cakes. Several batches of rich, homemade candied ginger, freshly made and golden yellow, are air-dried before being stored for Tet, emitting a warm, comforting aroma that entices visitors to look on with anticipation.

My city is small and young, but it also welcomes many people from other regions who come to work and live there. So every December, they excitedly prepare to return to their hometowns for Tet (Lunar New Year). After the reunion in December, the first month brings a tearful farewell, promising to gather again in a new, prosperous spring. Tet is about returning to one's roots, returning to one's old home, and enjoying a sweet, comforting meal cooked by one's mother, finding peace and tranquility in one's heart. My friends far away have the means to return home at any time of year, but they still eagerly await December to reunite with their families.

As night falls, the electric lights from the flower villages of An Lac, Dong Giang, and Dong Thanh across the Hieu River twinkle, illuminating a corner of the young city. Even after more than half a lifetime, every December, I feel like a child far from home, eagerly anticipating Tet, searching for the Tet of nature, the Tet of my heart. And I always cherish the Tets that have passed in my life.

Tue Linh

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