Lê Hương

Spring comes, Tết arrives. Peach blossoms, kumquat, and decorations are among the most popular things people bring home.

The bustling atmosphere of Tết can be seen overwhelming streets.

People of all ages are excited to welcome the Year of Dragon.

Trần Thị Vượng, in her late 70s, could not hide her excitement when asked about her preparations.

“We have prepared everything for Tết,” the decoration shop owner on Hàng Mã Street told Việt Nam News with a warm smile. “We have offered a worship ceremony to the Kitchen Gods, and are ready for New Year’s Eve. Every family has prepared everything necessary for Tết.”

“This year is the year of the Golden Dragon, a soaring Golden Dragon, which is used widely in many brand names like beer brands. The Golden Dragon is the highest raked of its kind and only in Việt Nam, not in any other country,” she said.

“I feel happy this year. COVID has ended. People no longer have the disease. They are all happy,” she said.

Vượng further said she was selling normally this year.

People buy decorations for Tết on Hàng Mã Street. — VNS Photo Lê Hương

Vũ Hoàng Yến Nhi, a 25-something woman, was busy taking photos with her friends on Hàng Mã Street.

“I’m coming here to buy Tết things,” she said. “We have prepared everything for Tết. We only need decorations for Tết, so today I came here to buy things to decorate my house.”

Nhi said she was alone this year as usual so her biggest wish for this new year is finding a boyfriend.

One-child mother Nguyễn Quỳnh Nga shared more profound thinking.

“I have prepared some gifts for my parents and parents-in-law as well as my children,” she said.

Nga said in previous years, her family often travelled during Tết.

“This year, the economy is not good enough, so we decided to spend the whole holiday with my family in my hometown,” she admitted.

Nga is expected to have another baby this year.

Many people have changed their habits to enjoy a new spring.

Architect Nguyễn Trần Bắc said his family often prepares for Tết very soon and discussed buying flowers or bonsai for Tết.

“This year, we are discussing if we will continue to make square sticky rice cakes ourselves,” he said. “In the past, we made it every year. But this year, we think we should spend that time travelling or wandering around the streets. We spent lots of time making square sticky rice cakes, especially my mother. She did everything and now she’s getting older.”

Bắc said he felt the atmosphere this year is less bustling as the economy was not as good as in other years.

Tết preparations at a lane in HCM City. — VNA/VNS Photo Thu Hương

Retiree Nguyễn Thành Công commented that the Tết atmosphere had recently been less bustling than it used to be before.

“When I was young and poor, I was extremely excited to prepare things for Tết,” he said. “When I bought something new, it was so valuable. Now, Tết is as happy as before but people are wealthier, and shopping is not as difficult as before. So my excitement has somewhat been reduced. Now if I have money, I just go around for one day and I can buy enough things for Tết.”

Công said that this Tết he and his wife would stay at home as usual to prepare food to worship ancestors and wait for his children and grandchildren to come back to enjoy parties together.

Lê Văn Hùng, in his late 70s, said he would keep the tradition of gathering with his friends at a café in downtown to say goodbye to the old year and then will meet there again after Tết.

“I’m getting old. I just hope for peace, happiness, and luck,” he said.

A special custom

German Professor Jurgen W. Simon has spent many Tết holidays in Việt Nam. He finds Tết a wonderful celebration, a highlight of the year, which brings people from all over the country back home.

“Here in Việt Nam, all people come together for the New Year,” he said. “They visit their families. But in Germany, you don’t find this lifestyle. I like it very much.”

Indian-Australian journalist Sandip Hor said he had not seen a New Year's Festival so alive and spread out of so many days as in Việt Nam.

"I can see that the whole country is preparing for the Tết holiday, which spreads out over so many days engaging the entire family, the entire community, which is very special," he said.

Though he has been in Việt Nam many times, he hoped he could return another time to enjoy Tết and write about that.

A new year starts, life changes and people expect better things. — VNS

Foreigners enjoy the Tết atmosphere in downtown Hà Nội. — VNA/VNS Photo Khánh Hòa