How today Tet in Ha Noi differs from its past?

Flowers for decoration on Tet holidays

Hanoians are fond of flowers as a decorative item for their homes, especially during Tet holidays. Peach blossom is preferred most for the biggest holiday of the year. Thus, the Hang Luoc flower market has existed over 500 years and provided millions of peach branches for Hanoians. At present, the market dramatically dwindled. New flower markets have emerged, stretching from Yen Phu, Au Co, to Lac Long Quan streets. A few days before Tet, these roads became ‘a flower river’, offering mostly peach blossom.

Special Tet markets at year end

Tet markets are not just for serious shoppers but for everybody to breathe in the festive air and enjoy the colorful spectacle.

Long ago, the phrase "sam Tet"(buying things for Tet) was spoken with passion by Vietnamese housewives. The psychology of buying everything they thought essential for Tet is unchanged. The difference is commodities offered are more and more abundant.

Square glutinous rice cake

Square glutinous rice cake (Banh chung) is a traditional dish. In ancient days, people only ate banh chung on Tet. But today, the cake is available all year round.

Offerings to ancestors & visits to pagodas

Hanoians have given special respect for spritual life. On the 23^rdof December in Lunar Calendar, every family prepares a grand farewell for Tao Quan - the Kitchen Gods - on their annual  journey to Heaven at Tet Tao Quan (Kitchen Good Day). A  large bowl of water with an alive golden carp or three small ones is kept aside. The carps are all will be freed into a pond, lake or river after the worshipping ceremonies are finished. Tao Quan can only travel up to Heaven with the help of golden carps as the carp is used to be Heaven's animal and is a very good swimmer.

On New Year's Eve, a salver of vegetarian meal is displayed outdoor to wish for a prosperous year.

On the first day of New Year, people flock to pagodas and temples to pray for good fortune, peace and contentment.

Unchanged atmosphere

Firecrackers  

In Vietnamese custom, letting off firecrackers is to drive away evil spirits and unluckiness and welcome luckiness and new expectations.  

Lucky money on Tet

Giving Li xi” (Southernly called) or "tien mung tuoi" (Northernly called)- or lucky money, is a popular traditional custom.  

The convention of giving “li xi” has its roots in the folklore about the ogre called Tuy. Once upon a time, living in a huge peach blossom tree in the East Sea were all evil spirits on Earth. While being kept inside the tree and controlled by deities, they always tried to escape and harmed people. However, on New Year’s Eve, as the deities had to gather together at Heaven, Tuy would appear, rubbing small children’ head to make them burst into loud wails and get high fever. Thus, the whole family had to stay awake all night to protect the children from the ogre.

However, some Deities while once stopping by a village had turned themselves into gold coins. Parents covered those coins in red cloth and placed under a child’s pillow. Later, when Tuy came, the coins sparkled and drove it away. Good news quickly spread out all over the country, and from that time on, Vietnamese have had the tradition of giving small children lucky money in red envelope on the first day of Lunar New Year.

 Enjoying Tet  

In the past, people enjoyed Tet with such activities as visiting parents, their teachers, relatives, and friends. At present, the activities at Tet include travelling.

Quiet streets  

Ha Noi is always crowded with both natives and people from other provinces. When Tet comes, people return to their native land and Ha Noi becomes quiet and pure.

By Kim Loan