Tet Nguyen Dan (Vietnamese New Year) is the most important and popular holiday and festival in Vietnam.
Tet, which means the first morning of the first day of the new year. Tet is a very important festival in
Vietnam.
Tet Nguyen Dan (Vietnamese New Year) celebrations lasts for about 7 days. A special ceremony called Le Tru Tich is held at the mid-night
hour on New Year's Eve. It is also an occasion for pilgrims and family reunions in Vietnam.
Homes are decorated with Hoa Mai, a yellow blossom that represents spring. Vietnamese families plant a
New Year's tree called Cay Neu (bamboo pole) in front of their homes. All the leaves are removed from
the tree so that it can be wrapped or decorated by good luck red paper.
New Year foods are preserved sweets, beef, chicken, fish, oranges, coconuts, grapefruits and other
seasonal fruits, especially watermelon. Watermelon holds much importance, as its flesh is red in color and
hence the melon is considered to be lucky.
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