AITAHole for being burned out on Tet already?

@Dannyroc3

I googled, what day is the Chinese new year 2025 and got this answer: January 29, 2025.

That is the first new moon (?) of the new lunar year. All the stuff ahead of that and all the stuff behind that that is referred to as "Tet" is just the Vietnamese enjoying holiday spirit (and sometimes holiday spirits, too).

I also googled, how is the Chinese new year determined and I got this: The Chinese New Year is determined by the lunar calendar, which is based on the phases of the moon. The holiday is celebrated on the *second* new moon after the winter solstice, which usually falls between January 21 and February 20. So, yeah, it *is* the new moon, just the 2nd one after the winter solstice.

In pre-Christian Northern Europe (think: Vikings), the winter solstice was celebrated with bonfires and evergreen boughs, you know, lights and greenery kinda like Christmas only without that First Century Jewish Radical's birthday thrown in there. I suppose they also celebrated some kind of new year. I'll have to do some more googling.

Happy New Year!

I know it is sacrosanct but, I am tired of hearing about Tet.I guess it is mostly because I thought tet was around Jan 1 and I kinda rushed returning to VN to be here for Tet. That was early December and over a month later we still have not reached the big day or days. And for how long does the holiday linger? I lived in another country which seemed to have a holiday every week but they came and went, no such buildup with expectations.Of course, I am playing along yet teasing a little about the never-ending Tet saga I am oo however I drew the line at buying a *red* shirt as red is my kryptonite color. - @Dannyroc3

You can expect a slowing of business activities/services starting ~1 week before Jan29th, and for ~1 week after. Officially, the holidays are for 9 days, starting (this year) on Jan25th. Celebrations and work closures starting earlier and ending later than that would not be unusual.

Tet is a very special occasion here, much more so than our New Year celebration. The Vietnamese people aren't given many paid holidays, so when Tet rolls around it's understandable why they get excited (giddy, even). Add to that the (obligatory?) Tet bonuses, sometimes equal to a full month's pay, and their excitement becomes even more understandable.

Try not to be too critical, even when the karaoke really starts to rip. I figure the serenading will be starting around Thursday or Friday this week. <sigh>

Another thread like dozens of others where tons of ignorant and uninformed stuff will be posted.

Virtually always from people who really aren't serious about discovering what Tết is truly about.

Perhaps most important, Tết is NOT "Chinese New Year".

Many of us (especially Ciambella) have previously explained the very rich heritage and meaningful folklore undergirding Tết:

https://www.expat.com/en/searchresult/asia/vietnam/?q=Tet&go-search=1¤tDestination=668

The week before the Lunar New Year Day (Tết):

In Vietnamese tradition, the veneration of the Kitchen Gods, known as "Ông Táo" or "Táo Quân", occurs specifically on the 23rd day of the last lunar month, which is 7 days before the Lunar New Year Day.

This day is known as "Tết Ông Công Ông Táo". On this day, it is believed that the Kitchen Gods ascend to Heaven to report to the Jade Emperor (Ngọc Hoàng) on the family's activities throughout the year.

The rituals involve:

Cleaning the kitchen: Families clean their kitchens thoroughly, symbolizing the removal of bad luck and preparing for the new year.

Preparing offerings: Offerings include a tray of traditional Vietnamese sweets, fruits, and especially a carp or three carps, which are considered the vehicle for the Kitchen Gods to ascend to heaven. The carps are sometimes released into rivers or ponds, or more commonly, the fish are made from paper and burned to symbolize the journey.

Prayers and incense: Incense is burned, and prayers are offered to ask for good fortune and to bid farewell to the Kitchen Gods.

This day marks the beginning of the serious preparations for Tết, setting the stage for cleaning the entire house, settling debts, and making amends for past mistakes.

The veneration of the Kitchen Gods is a significant cultural event, reflecting the Vietnamese belief in the spiritual oversight of daily life and the importance of moral conduct.

The seven days of the Lunar New Year, starting on LUNAR New Years Day (Tết):

The first day of Tết is for visiting family, especially the elderly, and for paying respects to ancestors. it's also usually a vegetarian day.

The second day is often for visiting friends, teachers, or business associates.

The third day is believed to be when the first angry spirit of the year might visit, so many stay home or avoid certain activities.

The fourth day is considered the birthday of the Kitchen God, and some people might engage in special rituals or offerings.

The fifth to seventh days typically involve more visits, feasts, and celebrations, with some regions having unique customs like the Hùng Kings' Temple Pilgrimage.

Tết is primarily a holiday honoring the oldest members of society and the youngest.

People who are very devoted to their family and who have a grandparent who is very traditional in their observation of Tết may depart for home up to a few days before the start of the two week holiday period and also take a few days travel time to return to the city where they work after the end of the two week period.

So it's quite realistic to say that Tết can last for 3 weeks, because that's how long many businesses (especially restaurants and hotels) may

be closed or very understaffed.

Yes, in many ways, Tết is more similar to Christmas (an extended family holiday) than New Year's Eve (a one-day public celebration).

From a single expat's perspective, the main thing to note is that there is a mass exodus of people traveling to their hometowns in the days leading up to the main holiday as outlined by OB above. Obviously it's not a great time to travel. Also, businesses and banks shut down so don't expect to get much done at that time. Things are not as dead as before though in big cities. I remember eating in KFC in HCMC during my first Tết in 2008 because it was the only place open. These days some restaurants and bars will be open or maybe closed just one day.

The main days are quiet as people are at home doing their traditional things. Following that, many will go on holiday to the beach or maybe the mountains. So, it's a good time to avoid popular tourist places.

For example, in my experience living in Vũng Tàu, it was best to leave as the massive crowds began to arrive following the main days of Tết, and head in the opposite direction to HCMC, which was pleasantly quiet and nearly traffic free, for a few days. Of course, some expats just skip the whole thing and head to Cambodia, Thailand, etc. I've heard some Vietnamese now also travel abroad to avoid crowds and high prices.

@jayrozzetti23

Despite my purposely grumpy-toned post, I actually admire and see much value in such cultural traditions as they build roots and anchor people.   It would take a long time for me to feel connected to Tet, but the first step is learning about what it is and this thread and a little other reading I did have helped me understand what is going on to some degree.

@jayrozzetti23
Despite my purposely grumpy-toned post, I actually admire and see much value in such cultural traditions as they build roots and anchor people. It would take a long time for me to feel connected to Tet, but the first step is learning about what it is and this thread and a little other reading I did have helped me understand what is going on to some degree. - @Dannyroc3

One thing it does have in common with Christmas (and Halloween and Easter and...) is the obnoxious commercialization of the holiday.

You are quite justified in feeling that the holiday has been going on forever, even though it really doesn't even begin in the traditional sense until the 23rd of January this year.

Especially since the holiday falls relatively early this year (during the final week of January) merchants all over the place have been trying to make a little money selling something extra besides their normal wares.

So there can definitely be a legitimate sense that ever since the 1st of January, Tết has been slowly rolling along, without any sort of discernible climax.

Maybe ask your lady friend if she wants to help introduce you to the traditions starting on this Thursday.

If there has already been a big end of year party in your neighborhood, she might not be doing anything outside of her home but she was still probably have a small table for devotions inside of her home.

She could even find some children's books that have some photo stories of the traditions of Tết.

One caution: if you're not a regular beer drinker there will probably be way too many opportunities to get far too drunk over the full extent of the festival.

In order to remain reasonably sober, you have to develop the knack of lifting your beer often for toasting but only taking a sip every time.

And the flip side is that if you do remain relatively sober during this period, it can become excruciatingly boring and even unpleasant constantly being surrounded by people who are doing their best to get blitzed out of their minds.

My wife and I have developed the skill of coming early and leaving not too soon after that.

In Vietnamese tradition, the veneration of the Kitchen Gods, known as "Ông Táo" or "Táo Quân", occurs specifically on the 23rd day of the last lunar month, which is 7 days before the Lunar New Year Day.

This day is known as "Tết Ông Công Ông Táo". On this day, it is believed that the Kitchen Gods ascend to Heaven to report to the Jade Emperor (Ngọc Hoàng) on the family's activities throughout the year.

The rituals involve:

Cleaning the kitchen: Families clean their kitchens thoroughly, symbolizing the removal of bad luck and preparing for the new year.

Preparing offerings: Offerings include a tray of traditional Vietnamese sweets, fruits, and especially a carp or three carps, which are considered the vehicle for the Kitchen Gods to ascend to heaven. The carps are sometimes released into rivers or ponds, or more commonly, the fish are made from paper and burned to symbolize the journey.

Prayers and incense: Incense is burned, and prayers are offered to ask for good fortune and to bid farewell to the Kitchen Gods.

This day marks the beginning of the serious preparations for Tết, setting the stage for cleaning the entire house, settling debts, and making amends for past mistakes.

The veneration of the Kitchen Gods is a significant cultural event, reflecting the Vietnamese belief in the spiritual oversight of daily life and the importance of moral conduct.

Today in our house "Tết Ông Công Ông Táo“

LOL! Ask a VN the meaning of the combination of these foods😃

The setup in the pic is not really traditional đưa Ông Công, Ông Táo về trời.  Normally it would be sweet sticky rice and chè (mung  or black beans desert), and a small or large gold fish (for the 2  gods and 1 goddess to use as ride to heaven kingdom).  As the country gets better standard of living people starts to put all kind of foods with no real meaning on plates.

As for the pic with cầu dừa đủ xài plus xung, it is in a way kind of funny with the southern accent.

Add to Tet this year ... Jan 25 the planets will, sort of, align. And I'm wishing for a clear sky to be able to view this, once in about 40 year, view.

LOL! Ask a VN the meaning of the combination of these foods😃
- @Aidan in HCMC

(not sure why the image hosting site dropped the image)

The setup in the pic is not really traditional đưa Ông Công, Ông Táo về trời. Normally it would be sweet sticky rice and chè (mung or black beans desert), and a small or large gold fish (for the 2 gods and 1 goddess to use as ride to heaven kingdom). As the country gets better standard of living people starts to put all kind of foods with no real meaning on plates.As for the pic with cầu dừa đủ xài plus xung, it is in a way kind of funny with the southern accent. - @yng68bld

The way the pic was explained to me, by a Northerner, was...

mãng cầu xiêm (soursop) = praying for

chim cu (cuckoo bird) = a man's manhood

sung (fig) = virility, or affluence

dừa (coconut) + đu đủ xanh (green papaya) + xoài (mango) (combined, read as vừa đủ xài) = just enough

I think the guy who set the plate was praying for his continued and adequate performance.

Mind you, I may have completely lost the plot/joke. It's still mostly all Greek to me😉

@Aidan in HCMC

The joke is really in the pronunciation of the fruits with the southern accent.  The northern people would not use those loosely used terms but they are commonly used in the southern society.

"Guilty. The karaoke, Your Honour, was the reason I..."

Did my annual cruise around the neighbourhood yesterday, handing out red envelopes to any tyke I saw. To say that some of them were surprised to see a westerner offering them "Li Xi" would be an understatement! Big, big smiles all around.

30 envelopes with 50K in each, all gone within an hour😁

Did my annual cruise around the neighbourhood yesterday, handing out red envelopes to any tyke I saw. To say that some of them were surprised to see a westerner offering them "Li Xi" would be an understatement! Big, big smiles all around.30 envelopes with 50K in each, all gone within an hour😁 - @Aidan in HCMC

pretty much the same with us. 50,000 being pretty much equal to the $2 level that's traditionally given by expats. we also put aside for the two ticket people who are also recyclers and come to us pretty much on a daily basis. then there's one guy in my neighborhood who's older than me. so I was able to take part in that tradition as well.

All of this after we returned from Quảng Ngãi where we gave away about ₫8 million VNĐ to the very closest members of our family.

My wife has never asked me to give anything so I have developed my own priorities as I've learned more about traditions, while also having the Liberty to give what I want. 🙏🧧🐍

FYI: Closest members of the family includes

2 stepdaughters

Wife's parents

Wife's uncles & aunts (brothers & sisters of her parents)

Nieces & nephews (children of my wife's siblings).

Not included: her siblings, her cousins.

We also give a special gift to the local medicine woman who has been taking great care of her parents (especially her mother) for donations only.

We also bought the beer...

I’ve enjoyed the celebration and mostly what we did was go to family’s homes and remember the grandparents. On one particular visiti I sat in with a family and made banh Tet.

there was no hoopla in money because there is not much there. Lots of incense burning and some prayers. Tomorrow we go to another funeral.

kids are happy. small parties and singing along with those that enjoy bia.

I now have many brothers.

@Dannyroc3

Hmmm a simple Google search on the date for Tet would have saved you a lot of grief, or perceived grief.    Peace

@Aidan in HCMC

We give US $2 Dollar bills in ours, more of a tradition that anything else.  The $2 Dollar Bill in my opinion is the most beautiful note we have.   Also, it’s not easy to spend in Vietnam so they will keep it for Good Luck.    Peace

@tunnelrat69

Where do you get $2 bills? I didn't even know they were still around until someone mentioned them to me in VN.

What is the attraction to the denomination here? At my GF family house they have one under the glass table top as well.

@tunnelrat69
Where do you get $2 bills? I didn't even know they were still around until someone mentioned them to me in VN.
What is the attraction to the denomination here? At my GF family house they have one under the glass table top as well. - @Dannyroc3

(with help from GROK AI:)

People bring them from the United States. They can also be purchased in most gold shops, although usually for more than the official exchange rate value. The fact that they are usually worth greater than face value helps explain their popularity.

In Vietnamese culture, giving money at the Lunar New Year (Tết) is a common practice symbolizing good wishes and luck. The amount and the type of currency can carry significance. Even numbers, for example, are traditionally considered lucky in many Asian cultures.

The notion that $2 bills are lucky might trace back to stories or legends from Vietnamese immigrants or visitors to the US. One popular anecdote tells of Abraham Lincoln giving $2 bills to wounded soldiers during the Civil War, with those receiving them reportedly surviving.

Stories of good fortune following the receipt of $2 bills help perpetuate this belief.

It's also commonly felt that the $2 bill is very beautiful compared to other denominations of US currency. Vietnamese people highly value beautiful gifts, although I'm sure that they wouldn't say that a $100 bill is ugly...

@tunnelrat69 Where do you get $2 bills? I didn't even know they were still around until someone mentioned them to me in VN.What is the attraction to the denomination here? At my GF family house they have one under the glass table top as well. - @Dannyroc3

I've gotten $2 US bills at the airport money changers. They'll approach you when you're issued an int'l boarding pass asking whether you'd like to change VND for USD. I like the look of the notes, and knew they were a bit of a rarity.

Apparently, some US citizens aren't aware of them, at all😄

Young cashiers at NY grocery store allegedly reject man’s $2 bills, believing they were counterfeit