Young couple in Hanoi busy making offerings to Kitchen Gods

Young couples prepare the ceremony to worship the Kitchen Gods in the same way as the previous generation, but simpler and quicker. Images from some families in Hanoi .

On the morning of January 21, markets in Hanoi were crowded with customers coming to buy offerings for the Kitchen Gods' worship ceremony. Many people in the North believe that after 12 noon on December 23, the Kitchen Gods will go to heaven, so they must make offerings 12 to 24 hours in advance.

At 7:30 a.m., Hoai Nguyen went to Cau Giay market to buy offerings. She consulted instructions on how to make offerings to be more proactive when shopping. "Even though I am young, I always prepare everything for traditional cultural offerings. However, I usually choose a simple, not too elaborate way," Hoai said.

In Hoai's opinion, votive paper is also an indispensable offering, but she only buys the right amount.

After cleaning the altar, removing the incense sticks and wiping them with cinnamon water, Hoai found a prayer text on her phone and began the ceremony. Today, her husband was at work and not at home, so Hoai arranged the altar herself, lit incense at noon and then went to release the fish.

The Hoai family's savory offering tray only includes sticky rice, roast meat, rice soup... along with a paper hat and a golden carp.

Tuan Minh - Minh Hanh's family also arranged a simple ceremony today. In the first year of living alone, holding the ceremony to worship Ong Cong Ong Tao by themselves, the young couple consulted their parents and were instructed to prepare a full and suitable offering tray. "The entire offering tray was prepared by my mother-in-law. She ordered the offerings online so she bought them for the couple. My parents' point of view is to minimize the offerings so that everything is complete and sufficient," Minh Hanh said.

According to Vietnamese tradition, the offering tray for the Kitchen Gods does not need to be too luxurious, with high trays, full dishes, or expensive offerings... Depending on specific conditions, each family will prepare offerings to burn incense in different ways. Today, Minh Hanh's family bought and displayed votive hats, gold and money, fruits, sticky rice, ham... The young couple sincerely prayed, praying for peace and health for the family.