Posts Tagged Tet holiday
Tet- New Year, Ancient Customs
Posted by Huyen Tran in Travel Blog on December 21, 2009
For the Vietnamese people, Tet is the most sacred time of the year. On lunar New Year’s Eve, each member of a family and of society exchange sincere good wishes, strengthening common cultural ties. Tet is also time to reflect on the spiritual life.
In Hanoi, on the stroke of midnight, the whole family sits down to eat together. The house has been cleaned well in advance. The family altar is decorated with fresh flowers, fruits (5 kinds of fruits with 5 different colors) and red candles. During Tet, angry words are forbidden. Most Hanoians visit pagodas, and make sure to bring home a leafy branch, an ancient symbol of prosperity.
During the next few days, it is crucial for people to visit as many of their relatives, friends and former teachers as they can manage. As an old proverb says:” the first day of Tet is for parents, the second for friends, and third for teachers”.
Mut, a flavor of Tet Holiday
Posted by Huyen Tran in Travel Blog, Vietnam Cuisines on December 20, 2009
In Vietnamese New Year party, beside traditional dishes, no family can forget to make a tray of “Mứt Tết”, a cup of tea, betel and areca ready to entertain their visitors.
“Mứt Tết” refers to fruits or vegetables that have been prepared and canned for long term storage. The preparation of preserved fruit traditionally involves the use of pectin as a gelling agent, although sugar or honey may be used as well. There are various types of fruit preserves made in Vietnam, and they can be made from sweet or savory ingredients.
“Mứt” is made from all sorts of fruit, including mandarin oranges, apples, banana, coconuts, persimmons and breadfruit. Vegetables like patatoes, carrots and squash are also turned into “Mứt”, as certain types of blossoms.
The colors of the spectrum to welcome Tet
Posted by Huyen Tran in Festivals, Travel news on December 9, 2009
Diverse cultural, tourism and sports events are taking place across the country to welcome the upcoming lunar New Year Festival (Tet) – the Year of the Buffalo.
The main streets in Nha Trang city of central coastal Khanh Hoa province are bedecked with flowers, colorful lanterns, slogans and flags to welcome Tet. The director of the Khanh Hoa provincial Department for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Truong Dang Tuyen, said many activities will be launched for the occasion, such as a Tet trade fair, a spring flower trade fair, a spring newspaper exhibition, a film week, photo and calligraphy exhibitions, a lion dance contest and a human chess competition.
Apart from film shows in Nha Trang city, two mobile film screening teams will be sent to the two mountainous districts of Khanh Son and Khanh Vinh to serve local ethnic minority people. Read the rest of this entry »
Museum offers Tet programme
Posted by Huyen Tran in Travel news on December 9, 2009
The Vietnam Museum of Ethnology will offer a wide range of cultural activities to ring in the 2009 Lunar New Year from Jan. 29, 2009 to Feb. 1, 2009.
The museum will present the dances, songs, traditional games and festivals of Vietnam’s ethnic groups. For the first time, visitors will get the chance to see performances by the inhabitants of Co Lam and Tu Xa communes, Lam Thao district in Phu Tho province.
Audiences can also see water puppet performers from Hong Phong village and will even get a chance to learn how to manipulate the puppets themselves on a small stage after the show. Read the rest of this entry »
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