Vietnam's most important and most cherished traditional festival, Tet, is the occasion which
unites the Vietnamese, who devote all their creative energy and resources to prepare for it,
"eat" it and go all out to enjoy the fun, food and festivities associated with it. Tet is a
distortion of the word Tiet, meaning festival. The full name, Tet Nguyen Dan, Festival of the
Morning of the Year, refers to the beginning of the lunar year which falls between Winter
solstice and spring equinox. Officially, it marks the beginning of a new year on the lunar calendar.
In reality, it is a friendly, festive, family holiday. Painstaking care is given to starting the year out right, since it is believed the first day and the first week of the new year will determine the fortunes or misfortunes for the rest of the year. In order to start the New Year right and set the best precedent, Vietnamese houses are painted and cleaned. New clothes are purchased for the first day of Tet and old debts should be paid and great care is taken to avoid arguments. Families exchange visits. The first visitor to the house on the first morning of Tet is very important. Particular care is taken to arrange in advance to have the visitor be rich, happy, and prestigious.
would be as large as his gown. The devils agreed to this thinking they had struck a very good
deal, but when Lord Buddha dropped his gown it spread as far and wide as the territory of
Vietnam. The devils were furious, but the deal had been made. Lord Buddha then advised the
Vietnamese: "At the end of the year, when you invite your ancestors to your home for Tet, the
devils may mingle with them. You must erect a high bamboo pole flying my emblem on a piece of
cloth in front of your house to prevent the devils from coming to disturb you while you are
enjoying Tet and your union with your ancestors". With the malevolent spirits frightened away
by the Cay Neu, the Vietnamese set their minds to things material and prepare the Banh Chung,
Tet's traditional glutinous rice cakes.
