Lunar New Year 2012 (Vietam Holiday) - Year of the Dragon

When: Sun, Jan 22nd 2012 11:00 pm to Sun, Jan 29th 2012 11:59 pm
Where: Throughout Vietnam,

To learn more about TET customs in Vietnam
Tet is the festival which epitomizes the identity of Vietnamese culture. Although the Lunar New Year is observed in all of East Asia influenced by Chinese civilization, each country celebrates it in a way peculiar to that country by making it conform to its psyche and historico-geographical conditions. Many rites, festivities and practices of Vietnamese TET are quite distant variants of the Chinese model, and are even original creations which hark back to myths and legends of the pre-Chinese period which prevailed in an authentically Viet culture of the Bronze Age (first millenium B.C.) called the Red River Culture.

Symbols of TET in Vietnam
Kumquat trees about two or three feet tall are carefully selected and prominently displayed during Tet. To carefully choose a kumquat bush, the buyer must pay attention to the symmetrical shape, to the leaves and to the colour and shape of the fruit. The bushes have been precisely pruned to display ripe deep orange fruits with smooth clear thin skin shining like little suns or gold coins on the first day of the lunar new year. Other fruits must still be green to ripen later. This represents the wish that wealth will come to you now and in the future. The leaves must be thick and dark green with some light green sprouts. The fruits represent the grandparents, the flowers represent parents, the buds represent children and the light green leaves represent grandchildren. The tree thus symbolizes many generations. Guests will caress the light green leaves about to sprout and compliment the discerning host who chose so carefully.

Should we travel to Vietnam during Tet Holiday?
No, you should not. During Tet Holiday, people in the cities will find their ways home to where they were born in the countryside, villages..., or on holiday. Big cities will be quiet, boring and you will not see much how Vietnamese enjoy Tet. Again, most of shops, restaurants will be closed for few days.

I want to see Tet, when should i travel to Vietnam?
It is good to start your Vietnam Holiday 2- 3 weeks before Tet and you will experience a lot of interesting activities and preparation of Vietnamese for this special time. But this is very high season, we advise you to book your Vietnam Vacation far in advance to make sure that you can get the flights, hotels, train... confirmed.

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