Tet, Lunar New Year or Chinese New Year in Vietnam is the biggest and most important festival in Vietnam. Tet in Vietnam is the moment moving from an old year to a new year, remark a new circle of heaven, earth, nature and vegetation. From the early days of Vietnam, Tet in Vietnam is a cultural character showing the connection between human being and Mother Nature through four seasons: Spring, summer, autumn and Winter. Tet in Vietnam is also the time for Vietnamese pay their respect to their ancestors, parents. Tet in Vietnam is also the time family coming together, meeting friends and enjoy the festival in Vietnam. Tet in Vietnam has a few important steps that every one in Vietnam will follow.

The God of the Kitchen
"Ong Tao" or the God of the Kitchen is the one who observe the business as well as all important events of every family in Vietnam throughout the year. Traditionally, "Ong Tao" or the God of the Kitchen will got to the heaven on 23rd of December (Lunar Calendar) to report to the King of heaven about all happened in one year. On this day, every family in Vietnam will prepare a simple meal to pray for "Ong Tao" or the God of the Kitchen. This is also considered as the first day of Tet in Vietnam. After have sending "Ong Tao" or the God of the Kitchen, people in Vietnam start preparing for their Tet in Vietnam. Every family in Vietnam start cleaning their home, buy new pictures, paintings as well as flowers for Tet in Vietnam. in the tradition of Vietnam, the God of Kitchen fly to heaven by a cap therefore every family in Vietnam will buy a cap to pray for the God of Kitchen.

Together with pictures, paintings, flowers, every family in Vietnam will buy peach flowers (North of Vietnam) and apricot flowers (South of Vietnam). To people in Vietnam, peach and apricot flowers are symbol of lucks. A lot of families in Vietnam also buy kumquat, full of yellow fruits symbol for prosperity, happiness and good lucks.
On alters of all families in Vietnam will have a plate of fruits. In the North of Vietnam, the fruit plate always has a bunch of green bananas, a grape fruit, some oranges and kumquats. For families in the south of Vietnam, coconut, mangos, green papaya and some other fruits will be displayed on the altars offering their ancestors during Tet in Vietnam. Vietnamese consider fruits are the gift from heaven and they symbol for prosperity and happiness during their Tet in Vietnam. Vietnamese have some of traditional customs during their Tet in Vietnam and all families in Vietnam will never forget to do in their Tet in Vietnam.

"See off old year. Welcome new year"
In the last few days of the old year, Vietnamese clean their house, burn the trash, clean furniture, ancestors' altars. Preparing for Tet in Vietnam, they also decorate their house with new pictures or paintings. In the first three days of the New Year, quarrel, fighting, cursing or saying bad words are not allowed. Every one in the family are happy and say happy words to each other and their guests during Tet in Vietnam with all the best wishes in the new year.

"Picking the luck"
In the Tet in Vietnam, Vietnamese will go to temples, pagodas or any holy places pick one of small tree branch with young leaves and buds to bring home and they consider this as bringing good luck home with wishes good things will all come to family in the whole year.

New Year Eve
In the New Year eve, most of Vietnamese stay at home but in the big cities; youngsters would go out to see the fireworks. When the clock show the first second of the New Year, every family set the food table in front their house, praying to heaven in their Tet in Vietnam.

Food in New Year
Tet in Vietnam is the biggest festival in the year therefore people will spend a lot of money to buy food for Tet in Vietnam. Sweet, candies, wine, beer is popular to Vietnamese in their Tet in Vietnam. The "Sticky rice cake" is a must for all families in Vietnam. Tet in Vietnam is the time for enjoying and party therefore people buy a lot of food to offer their guests in Tet in Vietnam.

Vietnam Tet holiday 2012
Vietnamese government officials and civil servants will have 9 days off during Tet Holiday (Lunar New Year Festival), Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung approved the suggestion of the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs.

Accordingly, all State agencies in the whole country will not work in nine consecutive days from January 21 to 29, 2012.

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