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Story: Dam Duc Vu
Photos: Tonkin, Shutterstock
How can you make Tet a time of serenity, leisure, and joy?
The vibrant atmosphere of year-end days, marked by brightly decorated streets and bustling flower markets, fills our hearts with warmth and joy. Traditionally, Tet was a time to honor ancestors and celebrate the year’s most important festival, rich with spiritual significance. While these traditions remain, Tet has evolved, with many embracing it as an extended holiday—a chance to unwind after a busy year and indulge in festive celebrations.
Ten or twenty years ago, Tet was an occasion to enjoy special meals, wear new clothes, and pay visits to exchange greetings. Back then, everything for Tet had to be prepared by hand. Today, supermarkets sell Tet essentials. In the past, people found simple joy as each household prepared unique dishes, and visitors would always be offered a drink and some homemade specialties or local delicacies, regardless of meal times. Canadian Wayne Sjothun, whose wife is Vietnamese, chose Vietnam as his second home and has celebrated more than twenty Lunar New Years in Vietnam.
“My wife’s family always dedicates the last and first days of the year to traditional values, and everyone enjoys these gatherings,” said Mr. Sjothun. “People cook together and share their year’s successes and unresolved challenges. I love this tradition and take photos of dozens of family members every year. Looking back at these photos brings me joy – some people always stand in the same spot, while the children grow so quickly…”
Mr. Sjothun believes that when adults respect and maintain their cultural practices, younger generations will naturally follow. Tet offers family members opportunities to contribute in small ways, whether making greeting cards, wrapping banh chung, visiting flower markets, buying peach blossoms and kumquat trees, making preserves, or baking – all chances to showcase their efforts to other family members and decorate the house for the Lunar New Year.
“Some years, work commitments kept us busy before Tet, but I always tried my best to return for the family gathering on New Year’s morning. Family members’ bright smiles always encourage me to respect this holiday’s warm family reunions. In my homeland, major holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas are family-oriented, but New Year’s celebrations have no family focus. That’s a significant difference between Vietnamese Tet and Canadian New Year,” said Mr. Sjothun.
Like Mr. Sjothun, many people view Tet as a heartfelt celebration of family, culture, and shared traditions, transcending the boundaries of nationality and time.
As society develops and global integration increases, cultural interchanges bring new perspectives and practices. If traditional Vietnamese Tet was about “eating Tet”, now it’s about “enjoying Tet”.
“My family chooses to eat and enjoy Tet, with variations each year,” explained musician Huy Tuan. Some years, our whole family, including grandparents, embarks on a cross-country journey for an amazing experience! Whether on the road or at home, Tet is about being together. The more family members are present, the merrier the celebrations.”
“On the first day of Tet, I usually spend time visiting family and greeting my parents, relatives, and friends,” shared musician Do Bao, the composer of spring love songs like Mùa cây trổ lá (Season of Blooming Leaves), Cánh cửa mùa xuân (Spring Door) and Xuân vẫn sang kì diệu (Spring’s Miraculous Arrival). “From the second or third day onward, our extended family typically takes a trip together. For the past decade or so, Tet has become a holiday I always look forward to. During this break, I can do things that aren’t urgent but are important, and take the whole family traveling, broadening our children’s worldview.”
Whether we like it or not, today’s Tet has evolved from its traditional form, reflecting changes in Vietnamese people’s needs and lifestyles and blending traditions with modernity. Tet isn’t just a time for family reunions but also a precious chance to rest, recharge, share cultural values, explore life, find fresh motivation, and create breakthroughs for the year ahead. Outside, spring is drawing near, bringing new opportunities and challenges!
