Chinese New Years

Tết, is the most important and popular holiday and festival in Vietnam.

It is the Vietnamese New Year marking the arrival of spring based on the
Lunar calendar.
Tết is celebrated on the same day as Chinese New Year though exceptions
arise due to the one-hour time difference between Hanoi and Beijing. It
takes place from the first day of the first month of the Lunar calendar
(around late January or early February) until at least the third day. Many
Vietnamese prepare for Tết by cooking special holiday foods and cleaning
the house. There are a lot of customs practiced during Tết, such as
visiting a person's house on the first day of the new year (xông nhà),
ancestral worshipping, wishing New Year's greetings, giving lucky money to
children and elderly people, and opening a shop.
Tết is also an occasion for pilgrims and family reunions. During Tết,
Vietnamese visit their relatives and temples, forgetting about the troubles
of the past year and hoping for a better upcoming year. They consider Tết
to be the first day of spring and the festival is often called Hội xuân
(spring festival).

I have celebrated Tết every year. I love it!

I love dressing up in the Vietnamese Dresses, and receiving the lucky money, but most importantly, I love preparing for the celebration that is to come. Each year, my

Vietnamese parish in Grand Rapids MI, celebrates Tết together. We prepare
dances, food and activities. From fashion shows to dragon dances to karaoke, we have it all!