Tet 2010 year of the tiger

The Vietnamese holiday that is way, big and by that I mean bigger than any holiday I've ever know. I'm no holiday size expert but this is big - how big you say - how about if you rolled our Christmas and New years celebrations together and then gave every one in the country a week off to celebrate, see I'm talking way big.


Tet is based on the Chinese new year which is predicated on the lunar cycle effecting the earth. So the arrival date of Gio thua (new years eve) and the Tet holiday changes from year to year.

Though,while the Tet holiday is a time to spend time with the family enjoy good food and drink or maybe travel to a special, fun place, Vietnamese work really hard in preparing for it. Saving up to buy that special outfit to welcome in the new year, food is put aside, so much that shortages of certain foods occur and then the race to buy special presents to cement ties with family and friends for the up coming new year.

The Tet holiday and the days and weeks leading up to it are filled with the bounty of the tropics, exotic flowers, bushes and trees are on display on the streets, in homes and businesses. Colorful banners are hung proclaiming "chuc Mung Nam Moi" (happy New year) and the streets are lit with colored lights. In Saigon - Nguyen Hue street is turned into a bountiful garden of flowers, trees, bushes and Tet related displays. Lucky money, small denominations of money in red and gold envelops are passed around. Traditional Tet food such as bang chung is readied for the holiday. Hair cuts are got to set off that new outfit, houses are cleaned and spiffed up. The house where I stay even pulled down the front doors and windows and repainted them. Vietnamese believe in household genies, such as the craft creator, the land genie and the kitchen god and out of respect they are allowed to take part in the holiday.

From a foreigners stand point the days leading up to tet and the holiday, officially 3 days but extends for a week or so, can be a frustrating and crazy period of time. I've witnessed first hand at least a half dozen Tet's and have learned to enjoy the holiday as an observer, while my Vietnamese friends try ever so hard to make me part of the goings on. For me, I just don't get a lot of it, as it's more a state of mind and I'm thinking being Vietnamese is required.

So probably at this point, even if you only looked at my photos, you understand that Tet is a interesting and unique part of Vietnamese culture.  However, before you head off for an up close and personal look at Tet 2011, which is the third of February, the following are a few thing to keep in mind.

• During Tet week travel in and around Vietnam is dicey, if you can get transport but its probably over crowded and at a premium price.  Vietnamese love to travel, to visit there family or to a special holiday destination and for some this is there only long holiday for the year. So it seems like every one in the country is on the move.





• In Vietnam along with many other Asian cultures  I've visited the concept of personal space is not understood, it's especially noticeable while traveling during Tet.  Remembering back a few years ago - traveling from Qui Nhon/Die Tri to Hue by train to be awoke by a Vietnamese family perched on the outer edge of my bed with me in it. Also you would find it's common practice to add stools down the isle of train cars and buses to seat more people or seats designed for two crammed with an undetermined number of folks and there luggage.





• Many businesses close, including bars and restaurants for the official 3 day holiday and some stay closed all week.  5 or 6 years ago it could be hard to find an open restaurant but the influx of tourists has held a few open. Tet being a family holiday most people stay home or with there relatives so in place like Saigon the streets are actually peaceful and quiet, well quieter than normal. 

• In Saigon, on Gio thua the New Year is welcomed in with a fantastic display of fireworks.  Seems to me all of Saigon turns out on Nguyen Hue for the event.  This last Tet I got spooked by the crowds and headed home to my room, on my way back I decided to stop for a beer at one of my hang outs Quoc Bao, an old style open air coffee shop, located on the traffic circle at 1 Le Thi Rieng and Le Loi. Turned out to be perfect spot not only for a beer but looking down Le Loi the fireworks were framed by the buildings, as if by design and it was fantastic. 

Yes, Tet is a uniquly Vietnamese event but if your time is limited for your visit to Vietnam you might want to plan around it and read my blog.