Tết

What is Tết?

Tết is the Vietnamese celebration of the Lunar New Year, lasting several days and filled with family gatherings, festive meals, and traditional customs. Homes are decorated with colorful flowers such as yellow ochna in the south, pink peach blossoms in the north, and kumquat trees symbolizing prosperity. Decorative displays often include chrysanthemums, marigolds, cockscombs, paperwhites, and orchids. Families also hang calligraphy and folk paintings, and set up a bamboo New Year tree called cây nêu adorned with charms and ornaments.

Where does Tết come from?

Tết has roots in ancient Vietnamese and Chinese traditions, shaped over centuries of cultural exchange and adaptation. The festival follows the lunisolar calendar, with its timing and customs influenced by both the moon and solar terms. While many sources trace Tết’s origins to the period of Chinese rule, Vietnamese legends and some researchers suggest it may have existed earlier, with unique local practices and foods. Over time, Tết developed distinct Vietnamese features, such as the use of the buffalo, cat, and goat in the zodiac, and regional customs for celebration.

How Tết is made

Preparations for Tết begin weeks in advance, with families cleaning their homes, settling debts, and cooking special foods. Houses are decorated with seasonal flowers and plants, and a bamboo cây nêu is set up in some regions. On New Year's Eve, families gather for ancestor veneration and festive meals. The first days of Tết are marked by visiting relatives, giving red envelopes with lucky money, and wearing new clothes, often in red for good luck. Public celebrations include fireworks, lion dances, and noisy parades to ward off evil spirits.

When and where Tết is used

Tết is celebrated by Vietnamese families across the country and in the diaspora. The first day is for immediate family, with children receiving lucky money and elders being honored. The second and third days are for visiting friends and teachers. Homes are filled with flowers and symbolic decorations, and people avoid arguments or negative behavior to ensure good fortune. Tết is also a time for ancestor worship, temple visits, and community festivities, including traditional games and performances.

Forms of Tết

Tết customs vary by region: in the north, peach blossoms and kumquat trees are favored, while the south prefers yellow ochna flowers and marigolds. The types of food, decorations, and even the names for lucky money differ between regions. Some areas use plum blossoms or mountain ebony for decoration. Each region and religion may observe Tết with unique local traditions, reflecting the diversity of Vietnamese culture.

What Tết means

Tết is the most important holiday in Vietnam, symbolizing renewal, family unity, and hope for prosperity. It is deeply tied to ancestor veneration and Buddhist practice, with temple visits and offerings. The festival is marked by wishes for longevity, health, and success, expressed through greetings and symbolic gifts. Tết also features in Vietnamese legends, folk art, and literature, and is a key time for cultural expression and national identity.

The flowers of Tết

OrchidA vast family of colourful, often fragrant flowers found almost everywhere on earthChrysanthemumAutumn-blooming flower with thousands of varieties, cherished in East Asia and beyondMarigoldA group of bright annual and perennial flowers known worldwide as marigoldsCalendulaGolden daisy-like flowers used in food, dye, and ritualsPrunus mumeThe fragrant plum blossom tree that blooms in winter across East AsiaPaperwhiteA tall, white-and-yellow narcissus grown for scent and indoor bloomsChrysanthemum japonenseA white-flowered perennial daisy native to coastal Shikoku, JapanIndian chrysanthemumA yellow or white-flowered chrysanthemum native to China

Questions people ask about Tết

Good reading and sources

• Vietnamese prepare for Lunar New Year by paying off debts, a tradition that can often bring stressLos Angeles Times, Article

• Tết on WikipediaEncyclopedia
• More photos on Wikimedia CommonsPhotos
• Wikidata recordOpen data