The Hanoitimes - Tết is a time to reflect on the past year, celebrate new beginnings, and look forward to the coming of spring. “Tet is a wonderful time in Vietnam that symbolizes inclusion and togetherness” Hanoi looks to tap cooperation potential with Canada “Vietnam-Canada relationship is really comprehensive”: Canadian envoy Ambassador: Vietnam, Canada pose to great potential for cooperation Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on February 5, the first day of the 2019 Lunar New Year, sent greetings to the Vietnamese people on the occasion of the biggest festivity of the year. Canadian PM during a visit to Vietnam in November 2017. Photo: Fred Dufour/AFP/Getty Images “Over the next few days, Vietnamese communities in Canada and around the world will celebrate Tết Nguyên Đán, the Lunar New Year. Tết is a time to reflect on the past year, celebrate new beginnings, and look forward to the coming … [Read more...] about Canada PM congratulates Vietnamese New Year
Celebrate a year of festivities for families and friends
Be cleaner than a pig in the Year of the Pig
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A pig depicted in traditional Đông Hồ paper paintings. Viet Nam News by Phước Bửu The country is celebrating the Year of the Pig and pigs, one of the 12 local Zodiac animals, have appeared in daily conversation. Pigs do not hold an honourable position in Vietnamese culture. However, they appear to be the most popular species among the six domestic animals since early history. Pigs, along with dogs, chickens, goats, horses, and buffalos, make up the full list of domestic animals. In the past, Vietnamese relied on rice farming and small-scale husbandry, thus almost every family had a pig shed at home. Almost everybody grew up with memories of pig sheds in the backyard. To Vietnamese people, pigs are at the same time friendly and dirty. A pig often becomes lively whenever someone gets close to its shed. Pigs don’t attack people and their sounds are not scary. However, people avoid being close to the pig sheds because of the bad smell. The … [Read more...] about Be cleaner than a pig in the Year of the Pig
A Tet primer: How Vietnamese celebrate their most important festival – VnExpress International
Back to English Comments Travel & Life - February 2, 2019 | 08:00 pm GMT+7 A brief look at the main activities that the Vietnamese engage in as they celebrate the Lunar New Year.Even though the usually hectic life in Vietnam’s major cities goes through a major reversal during the Lunar New Year holiday (Tet), there is actually a lot of activity that happens during the most uplifting time of the year for most Vietnamese people. This year, people will enjoy nine days off to celebrate the festival, from February 2-10.Tet activitiesVisiting relatives and friends one of the the most popular activities at this time. Dressed in their best clothes, a family will go to the homes of relatives, neighbors and friends to wish them a Happy New Year.During these trips, adults give the children "lucky money," a small envelope containing cash, which is believed to usher in prosperity. Children usually put this money into their own piggy banks, which will be broken after Tet to … [Read more...] about A Tet primer: How Vietnamese celebrate their most important festival – VnExpress International
A happier Tết for parents and the inlaws
Illustration by Đàm Minh ChíViet Nam News Kiều Vân “Your husband prevented you from Tết holiday at your parents’ house, he must understand that he is breaking the law!” Nguyễn Thu Mai was surprised to hear the warning from colleagues. After twelve years of marriage, Mai has never been able to enjoy the Tết holiday with her parents even though they live close by. Every Tết holiday, when Mai finished work at a media office, she and two children rented a car to return to her husband’s hometown, 30km from Hà Nội, and celebrate Tết with grandparents-in-law. According to her husband’s arrangement, he had to stay at home to worship after the New Year’s Eve, and he would return to his hometown later. “Be home early to prepare Tết for parents-in-law, because he says this is the responsibility of a daughter-in-law, I often prepare all the food and confectionery for three days … [Read more...] about A happier Tết for parents and the inlaws
Christmas, a joyous festival for all!
Viet Nam News Taking a look at Christmas through the eyes of Catholics sheds fresh light on the celebration and what it means to them. An Phương reports. Christmas has forever been my favourite time of the year. Bustling HCM City, dazzling Christmas banners and sparkling lights always give me so much joy during this festive season. To be honest, I often take Christmas for granted. But it can be celebrated by everyone, young and old, men and women, religious or not. Recently, I saw an article in the New York Times which mentioned that “religious elements of Christmas are emphasised less now than they were in the past”. For the first time, I began to think beyond how people in general view Christmas, but how Catholics, particularly in HCM City, celebrate it, and how people like me, a Buddhist, enjoy this as a cultural event. Việt Nam has four main belief groups, including folk religion, Buddhism, Catholicism, Caodaism, and other minor belief … [Read more...] about Christmas, a joyous festival for all!