Vietnam has two main festivities each year: Tet (lunar new year) and Mid-Autumn Festival. Tet is usually at the start of the year between January and February, and Mid-Autumn festival is usually around September. Cambodia is similar to its neighbour Laos when it comes to celebrations: the most prominent holiday is Khmer New Year, celebrated Do you want to visit Vietnam? You don't want to miss the Tet Holiday! If you are thinking about visiting Vietnam, you should consider going there when the Vietnamese celebrate Tet Holiday. This is the Lunar New Year. It's the most important celebration in the country. The Vietnamese spend time together and participate in old traditions. Vietnam is a nation that celebrates a wide variety of different holidays and events throughout the year. Tet, also known as the Vietnamese New Year, is one of the most well-known holidays and festivals. Other well-known celebrations include the Mid-Autumn Festival and the Lunar New Year. AFP Vietnamese are paying hundreds of dollars for gold plated tiger models as gifts as Lunar New Year draws near, bucking a major economic slowdown caused by the pandemic. Tet, as it is known in Vietnam, is the most important festival of the year and the occasion for people to give gifts to loved ones and business partners. HO CHI MINH CITY: China and Vietnam are urging millions of workers to forgo trips home during the upcoming Lunar New Year holiday due to fears mass travel will spark Covid-19 outbreaks The Vietnamese Lunar New Year, Tết, is just around the corner.Tết usually falls on a date in late January or early February. It marks the arrival of Spring and a new start in life. This holiday is celebrated by many Vietnamese and other Asian groups with lots of drinking, eating, and spending time with family and friends. The Tet festival is the main holiday in Vietnam. Therefore, Vietnamese people will give each other the best wishes for a lucky and successful Lunar New Year. Below are some of the Tet holiday greetings and wishes with meanings in English. Chuc Mung Nam Noi: Happy Vietnam Lunar New Year lVsRb. When the weather is a bit chilly, it signals a new beginning — a season where the flower buds awaken on the branches and buds fresh. Tet is a traditional holiday of Vietnam that celebrates the transition and the welcoming of a new year. Tet is also commonly known as Lunar New Year for some Asian countries like such as China, South Korea, and is always a series of new beginnings. It’s an event that invites people towards a positive way forward with joy and is tetLunar New Year is an essential occasion for Vietnamese people. During this holiday, there will be many activities about traditional culture and festivals that have been ongoing for thousands of years. Tet is a moment of joy, a time where family and friends meet up, review old memories and to celebrate the new year together. This occasion usually falls in January or February of the Gregorian like any traditional holiday, Tet has food, decorations, and customs that color and give meaning to this important event of the foodBanh ChungThe first thing that is special about Tet is the traditional food that gets featured during this special event. The most popular dish is Banh Chung or Vietnamese Rice Cake. Made from sticky rice, pork and mung bean, all wrapped up in a banana leaf, Banh Chung has a center spot on every family altar during Tet to pray for their ancestors to support and look after the family the entire ChungBoiled ChickenBoiled chicken is also an indispensable plate in Tet Holiday. This dish is one that can’t be missing during ceremonies, weddings, and housewarmings. Accordingly, it definitely can’t be absent during Tet. People boil a chicken, then season with some lemon leaves and dip in salt. The taste of it contributes significantly to the unforgettable vibe of Tet GacAnother great flavor on the menu is Xoi Gac or steamed Momordica glutinous rice. Not only during Tet, but Xoi Gac is also popular in any Vietnamese wedding because it is considered a luck charm. With its exclusive orange color, sweet scent, and luxurious texture, Xoi Gac has its position placing next to Banh Chung, boiled chicken, and other traditional food on the family altar during Tet Spring RollsAside from the above, you can also expect to see fried spring rolls as a part of the traditional culinary. The golden fried wraps contain pork, jelly-ear mushroom, and bean sprout add to the holiday that mesmerizing crusty and fatty taste bringing unique appetite to Blossom and Apricot BlossomIf Banh Chung and fried spring rolls please the taste buds, then peach and apricot blossom charm the eyes of people during Tet holiday. These flowers are not only the symbol of luck, health, and prosperity, but they also bring the best of everything to the family in the new picturesIn the old days of Vietnam, people came to a calligraphy master and asked for parallel sentences on red paper rolls so that they could hang for Tet. Although calligraphy masters are not popular in the modern world anymore, but parallel sentences are still a unique part of any home decoration during Lunar New sentences, are simple, but bear the meaningful words to bring lots of success, money, health, and Gods Farewell CeremonyOne of the earliest and the most important customs of Tet Holiday is the Kitchen Gods Farewell Ceremony. On the 23rd of the last month in the lunar calendar, people offer carps and the dishes mentioned above to the Kitchen ceremony is meant to send off the Kitchen Gods to heaven. Traveling to the sky using the carps, the two gods and goddess of Kitchen will report to the King of Heaven about what happened in the previous year of the family, and will come back on the last day of Tet to celebrate the holiday with the Year’s Eve OfferingsOn New Year’s Eve, before the clock strikes twelve, the family would have both an open and in-door ceremony. The family would celebrate in open air first, to send thanks to the gods, with offerings including a boiled chicken, xoi gac, and flowers. After that, the family would come inside, over the ancestor altar pray for the ancestors to come home and celebrate the new Xi Lucky MoneyWhat everyone especially children loves the best thing about Tet Holiday is receiving Li Xi, or Lucky Money. The money is enclosed in bright red envelopes and given by the elderly during Tet as a mean of wishing good luck, health, and happiness in the new old people, it is a sign of respect and generosity. However, to children, Li Xi money is a mean of supply for hang-outs, clothes, and Xi Nam MoiActivitiesFamily ReunionThere are plenty of things during Tet. Most activities are about the theme of a family reunion. And indeed, a family reunion is the first thing that people do the early morning of Tet. People from any place, no matter how far or how busy, will try their best to find a way back to the family reunion. Everyone would come together and be in each other’s arms for the annual PagodaPeople will also visit the pagoda for good luck in the new year. They come here to wish for good luck for the rest of the year. Elders pray for their ancestors and ask them to look after each family member. Friends wish each other wellness, and children ask for a lot of toys and pictures on Flower StreetsOne favorite hotspot of Tet Holiday is the flower street. Every year, anyone who passes by the city center will look at constructing the year’s flower arrangements with curiosity. The amazing construction will bring a stunning landscape offer countless beautiful spots to selfie come here to admire and take photos in their traditional clothes and have a good time with their friends and to be aware of for Tet Holiday?Busy markets and price increaseTet is an important national holiday, meaning people should make sure they have all the essential items needed beforehand. Consequently, this results in busy markets, especially in the last week before New Year's the high demand for Tet items increase, that leads to an increase in price. So, don’t very surprised when fruits are more expensive than usual. Alternatively, you can prepare earlier to avoid the hefty StreetAirplane and Bus ticketsTet holiday is the only longest holiday when the family can see each other again. It means that it will be harder to book a flight or a bus trip during this holiday. If you plan to travel around Vietnam, be sure to book your plane, train, or bus ticket in holiday is not just for Vietnamese people, it is for anyone who wishes to be at home again, and home is where the heart is. So, get your heart on, put on your Tet spirit, and indulge in the Tet holiday on your next trip to OverviewThe capital of Vietnam is a city of timeless grace with tree-lined boulevards, colonial buildings, many lakes and parks as well as temples and pagodas. Best time to travel to HueLocated in the Central Coast of Vietnam, Hue province become one of key tourist regions included beautiful natural landscapes and hospitable people. This region belongs to humid tropical weather the temperature will be up to 39 degree in the dry season and could be 18 degree during the rainy 8 best places for dining in HanoiIf you are crazy about Hanoi cuisine, don't miss this article! Let us take you to the top 8 best places for dining in Hanoi from fine dining to local eateries. During Vietnamese Tet, there is a wide range of colorful festivals and events in Vietnam aim of these activities are simple as entertaining the community or expressing respect to country’s builders and heroes as well as commemorating remarkable events. The festivals and events listed below may take place on a nation scale or belong to specific regions. There are two main types of activities conducted in Vietnam’s festivals ceremonial rites and entertaining activities. Lunar New Year or Vietnamese Tet holiday is the most important festival of Vietnamese 2023, the 1st date of TET is on 22 January 20232024 the 1st date of TET 10 February 20242025 the 1st date of TET 29 January 2025Vietnamese Tet – Lunar New Year is a warm time for the Vietnamese to gather with their families and welcome a fresh year comingTraditionally, the purpose of Tet holiday is that Vietnamese would like to thank Gods for the arrival of spring with a variety of blooming trees and flowers after a cold and harsh winter. Also, this is the privileged occasion for family’s members to reunite, celebrating a new year which has come together, and saying farewell to the previous one. All the best things are prepared and consumed during this holiday as people want to ensure that they will have a new year full of prosperity. Only one week for Vietnam tours can tourists see the full similarities and differences of Tet customs form Ha Noi to Sai GodsTet Holiday gets its beginning marked with the first day in the Lunar Year; however, its preparation starts long before that. One week before the holiday, in the 23rd day of the last Lunar month, is East Day—a ritual worshiping Kitchen Gods Tao Cong. It is believed that each year on this day, these Gods two males, one female go to heaven to tell Jade Emperor Ngoc Hoang about all activities of households on earth. On the New Year’s Eve, they return to earth to continue their duties as taking care of families. Each household also buy a carp as this is the transport for the Gods on their trip to heaven. After the ritual, they set the carp offering meal for Kitchen GodsChung cake Bánh chưngKitchen Gods are believed as the first gods leaving earth to report, followed by others on the next day. Within the absence of all of the gods, household members start cleaning their houses and decorating them beautifully with a plenty of accessories—a process that must be done before the New Year’s Day as the appearance of cleaning equipment after that equals sweeping all the good lucks Chung cake is a traditional activity in many regions of Vietnam on Tet holidayIn addition, people buy and/or prepare items exclusive in Tet Holiday for example Chung cake, Day cake, pork bologna, pickled onion, candied fruits and seeds—mainly foods that can be stored for a long time as all services are closed in the event, for about two weeks. Also, they buy new clothes, and give gift to their homies, relatives as well as friends. One thing to remember is that everybody needs to pay all of the debt as remaining debts from one year to another is considered bringing bad traditional Chung cakeNew Year’s Eve Giao thừaThe penultimate New Year’s Eve – Tat Nien, the meal finishing the entire year – should be well served, in which everyone involved remembers all the happy moments and talks about the good things only. On the New Year’s Eve Giao Thua, Vietnamese people have a spectacular celebration which involves the whole nation – some may gather around TV and watch the Tao Quan show, some may go out for fireworks observation. When the bell of the twelfth hour rings, everybody gathers, at exciting parties or at the comfort of their homes, saying Happy New Year to one another in warm hugs, forgetting all problems as well as hoping for a better New Year EveYear end party Tất niên On the New Year’s Day, the first ones who come to visit households – called first-foot – are very important and hence need to be well chosen, as they are believed to hold in their hands the entire luck of the family in New Year Tan Nien. After that, till the third day or even the fourth day of Tet, individuals meet relatives, friends and colleagues, wishing them all kinds of good things like happiness, health and success. They give children lucky money covered in pretty little red envelopes also because of that reason, as red represents good lucks. Also, they visit pagodas to pray for a good start in the coming year. It is high time for Vietnam family tour when all the members of the family go to the pagodas together and pray for a happy master giving calligraphy letters on Lunar New YearThere is a saying in Vietnam, “Father’s Tet is on the First Day of New Year, Mother’s Tet is on the Second, and Teacher’s is on the Third”. The best illustration of the quotation is that, on the first day, Vietnamese visit their parents on the husband’s side on; on the second day, they turn to parents on the wife’s side; and lastly, they spend their third day of Tet visiting their teachers. All in all, Tet is all about back to origins, wishing for the best, and joining in colorful parties. Paradise travel provides many unique Vietnam tours for visitors who want to enjoy Lunar New 1st lunar monthPurpose reunite family; celebrate New Year with the bestActivitiesKitchen Gods worshiping ritualCleaning and preparationNew Year’s EveNew Year’s Day Lunar calendars consisting of 12 months, each month corresponding roughly to one cycle of the moon, have been used by many cultures throughout history, including by many Asian peoples as well as by Muslims and Jews. A number of different Lunar New Year festivals are held throughout the world. Because 12 lunar cycles do not fill a whole year, it is necessary to occasionally add an extra month. This custom was adopted in the Chinese calendar as early as 1600 BCE, with the Jewish calendar adopting it by the 700s CE, resulting in what are known as lunisolar calendars. This avoids “seasonal creep” to keep holidays in the same season, even if they may fall slightly later or earlier compared to a solar calendar. The Chinese calendar spread to Korea and then to Japan by the 500s CE, and was eventually adopted elsewhere in Asia. In the Chinese calendar, the new year begins on the second full moon after the winter solstice. In 1912, China’s Nationalist party officially moved the country to the Gregorian calendar, and renamed the Lunar New Year the Spring Festival. In 1949, the Communist party forbade Lunar New Year celebrations. Spring Festival celebrations were permitted again in the 1980s, and by 1996, the Chinese government established a week-long vacation surrounding the Spring Festival. The Lunar New Year is celebrated as Tet by Vietnamese people and Seollal by Koreans. Visiting family, eating large meals of traditional foods, and parades are common Lunar New Year festivities across these cultures. Other customs can vary from culture to culture and place to place. Japan adopted the western Gregorian calendar in 1872, and now observes New Year’s Day on January 1. Still, many people of Chinese descent in Japan celebrate the Lunar New Year as well. Korea followed Japan in officially adopting the Gregorian calendar in 1896, but celebration of Lunar New Year continues there. Many predominantly Buddhist countries in Southeast Asia, including Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, and Thailand, use lunisolar calendars, but base their New Year’s celebrations on the Sun’s transition from the constellation Pisces in the west into Aries. These celebrations fall in mid-April in the Gregorian calendar and may include purification rituals and playfully splashing others with water, among other activities. Losar is a Lunar New Year festival observed in Tibet and Bhutan. It falls in February or March and includes dances and the decoration of monasteries. Asian people around the world may also celebrate their respective Lunar New Year wherever they are. London claims to have the largest such celebration outside Asia and San Francisco’s parade claims to be the largest Asian cultural event in North America. The Islamic liturgical calendar is strictly lunar, meaning that Al-Hijra, the Islamic New Year, can fall in different seasons across the years. Al-Hijra commemorates Muhammad’s journey from Mecca to Medina, but the date is not marked by large public celebrations. Usually falling in September or October, Rosh Hashanah is the start of the year in the lunisolar Hebrew calendar. It means “the head of the year,” and is observed with traditional meals, prayers, and the blowing of a ram’s horn known as the shofar. Tet holiday or Vietnamese Lunar New Year is the most significant festival in Vietnam. As a result of being calculated by the lunar calendar, Tet often occurs at the end of January, which is later than the New Year’s Day. As the longest public holidays in Vietnam, Tet is the most wonderful time for all foreign tourists to spend their vacation in Vietnam enjoying the festive atmosphere and exploring one of the oldest holidays in the world. Tet Holiday is celebrated to welcome the New Year Lunar calendar and summarize what they did in the old year. It is considered an important mark for changes, plans, and progress. In addition, Vietnamese people believe that what they do on the first day of the year will affect their rest. Therefore, they pay great attention to every word they say and everything they do. Furthermore, Tet may be the only occasion for all family members to have happy moments together after a year of hard-working. A traditional Tet often lasts for a month. However, the busy life makes it shorter, even disappears. If you choose a new type of travel like cruising to enjoy multi-culture Lunar New Year, your shore excursions Asia should pick the right countries where people still hold a long festival such as Thailand, China, Taiwan, and Vietnam, which is often a week. Recently, some people express their idea to cancel the Vietnamese Lunar New Year and only celebrate the Western New Year. Although it is constructive, Tet holiday will have still been remaining as the vital festival in Vietnam because of its priceless tradition, feature, and meaning. How is Tet Holiday in Vietnam? Vietnamese Lunar New Year is NOT Chinese Lunar New Year It is absolutely mistaken to say that the Vietnamese are celebrating the Chinese Lunar New Year. Although both countries use the lunar calendar, the Vietnamese have different customs and traditions from China. According to the historical document, in the thirteenth century, the Vietnamese people often celebrated Tet holiday by painting on themselves, drinking traditional glutinous-rice wine, using betel nuts to welcome guests, and eating Chung cake, pickled onions. In Ly dynasty 1009-1226, many important rituals were made such as setting up a dome to pray for the rains or building communal houses to crave for a year of abundant harvests. In the period of King Le Thanh Tong 1442-1497, Tet holiday was the most important festival and hundreds of mandarins had to gather at the court to celebrate it with royal families. The Cuisine of Tet Holiday In Vietnam, to celebrate Tet also means to eat, which affirmed the important role of the cuisine in Vietnamese Lunar New Year. One Vietnamese traditional proverb denotes that you can be hungry all year except three days of Tet because dozens of delicious foods will be prepared on Tet to feast the ancestors as well as every family member. Chung Cake Chung cake is the traditional cake in Vietnam that only appear on Tet holiday. Tasty and savory Chung cake is made from very familiar ingredients to all Vietnamese such as sticky rice, green beans, and pork, which is wrapped in green leaves and boiled overnight. According to a legend that has been passed on for thousands of generations, Chung cake is the symbol of Earth because it combines all unique ingredients of Vietnamese agriculture. Although nowadays Chung cake can be tasted all seasons, enjoying these cakes at Tet holiday still brings special feelings for Vietnamese people. Jam Jam is the common snack to welcome guests on Tet holiday. It is mainly made from dried fruits like carrots, coconuts, apples or some kinds of seeds such as roasted watermelon seeds, sunflower seeds mixed with sugar. The Vietnamese believe eating sweet things on Tet holiday will bring them luck for the New Year. Pickled Onions On Tet holiday, people often eat fat and oiled foods which easily cloys their appetite. This is high time for something with low calories and fresh like pickled onions. Pickled onions help the digestive system digest high protein food more easily. In the minds of Vietnamese people, Tet is only complete when there are fat meat, pickled onions, and red distiches. Besides, there is a myriad of signature dishes that inspire the taste in different regions on Vietnamese Lunar New Year such as spring rolls, boiled chickens, Vietnamese sausages, sticky rice and so on. Mascots of Tet holiday Vietnamese Zodiac Signs Each Lunar New Year will have a symbolic animal. 12 Vietnamese zodiac signs are different from Chinese ones The fourth zodiac sign in Vietnam is Cat while it is Rabbit in China. Every animal will bring the unique lucky in its year so you can see them everywhere in Vietnam through decorations or advertisement signs. Tet holiday 2020 is the year of the Rat while Tet holiday 2021 is the year of Buffalo. Trees & Flowers on Tet holiday Peach blossom in Northern Vietnam and apricot blossom trees in Southern Vietnam are also symbols that exclusively appear on Tet holiday. The light red of peach blossom will bring the luck while the yellow of apricot blossom will bring the fortune to the owners. It is said that Tet is not Tet if missing two of them. Neu Tree It is originally a 5 meters tall bamboo shoot. The chop of the tree hangs different things based on each region such as votive papers, amulet exorcism or alcohol bottle made of straw. It is believed that the tree is the signal for the devils to realize that this place is home of living people, not to harass. Tray of Five Fruits This is a tray of five different fruits such as bananas, grapefruits, oranges, and other tropical fruits which are only prepared on the Vietnamese Lunar New Year. Although each region chooses different fruits, a tray of five fruits is still used to express the wishes of the host family by their names, colors, and arrangements. In addition, kumquat trees, Dong Ho paintings, red distiches are also believed by the Vietnamese to bring luck and wealth for them all around the year. How is Tet Holiday Celebrated? Before Tet Holiday – How Tet Holiday is Prepared? Tet Ong Cong, Ong Tao Gods and Goddess of Kitchen On the 23rd of the last month in the lunar calendar, Vietnamese people prepare the traditional offerings and especially the carps to regale three gods and goddesses of their kitchen. Then they will release the carps into the river and these fishes will be used by the Gods as the transportations to come to heaven, according to the legend. At the heaven, they will report everything happening in the previous year of their family to the King of heaven. They will come back on the last day of the year to celebrate Tet holiday with the family. The carps then become the dragons. Tet Ong Cong, Ong Tao of Tet holiday 2020 is on January 17th. Cleaning the House Tet holiday is also called by a jolly name “house-cleaning festival”. A week before Tet, all members of the family clean the house, the garden, and the altars as well as redecorate them together. Broken things will be repaired, old things will be replaced. Clothes and decorations such as lanterns, distiches, led lights will be bought. All those preparations have the same purpose – to be the best to welcome the New Year and to receive luck as well as fortune. The Last Day of the Year & New Year Eve On the last day of the year, every member of different generations gathers around a grand banquet to enjoy the last meal of the year. The talk at that time is about things already happening in the year. The ambiance of the reunion is always the most wonderful and happiest of all time. In New Year Eve, the young often go out to watch the firework performance while the elderly and adults stay at home making offerings of pig head, boiled chicken, rice and salt for outdoor worshipping to the Gods and indoor one to the ancestors. They will pray for a new year of luck, health, and fortune to every family member. After that, the young come back home and become the first one coming to the house in the new year. It is believed that the wishes of that person for the host will come true. Then everyone gathers again to drink some alcohol or juice. Then the wishes, as well as plans of every person for the new year, will be shared with others. During Tet Holiday Tet Holiday traditionally lasts for three days. People often stay at home to welcome guests to their house or go to relative and neighborhood houses. The elderly will be received the wishes for health, the adults will be received the ones for fortune and success while the young and children will be received lucky money. Laughs and talks appear everywhere on Tet holiday these days. Besides, Vietnamese people often go to pagodas. By donating money and asking for letters, they will receive several lucks and fortune. Festivals after Tet Holiday Tet ends when votive papers are burned and offerings are taken down from the altars to share for every family member. It is the time for people to join in festivals all around the country such as buffalo fighting festival or boat racing, wrestling, lion or dragon dances. Festivals will be organized for a month after Tet holiday so you are able to attend and explore them as many as possible. Vietnamese Lunar New Year is the priceless value of Vietnam and an indispensable part of the life of all Vietnamese people. Plan Vietnam tours to enjoy Tet holiday and experience unforgettable experiences of Vietnamese cultures, customs, and traditions. Source Viet Vision Travel Lunar New Year also known as Chinese New Year happens this year on Sunday, January 22, 2023. Why does the Lunar New Year start at a different time each year? How is this important holiday celebrated? What does the Year of the Rabbit symbolize? Learn all about this holiday! When Is Lunar New Year? Lunar New Year begins on the date in East Asia of the second new Moon after the winter solstice, which always takes place in late December. This means that the first day of the Lunar New Year can occur anytime between January 21 and February 20. In 2023, this new Moon occurs in China on Sunday, January 22, marking the start of a new lunar Next Year Lunar New Year Chinese Zodiac Sign 2023 Sunday, January 22 Rabbit 2024 Saturday, February 10 Dragon 2025 Wednesday, January 29 Snake 2026 Tuesday, February 17 Horse Note Due to the difference in time zones, the new Moon may technically occur one calendar date earlier or later in United States. See our Moon Phase Calendar for local times. Why Are There Different New Years? The traditional Chinese calendar is a lunisolar calendar, which means that it is based on astronomical observations of the Sun’s position in the sky and the Moon’s phases. This ancient calendar dates back to 14th century BCE whereas the Gregorian calendar was introduced in 1582. The Chinese lunisolar calendar shares some similarities with the Hebrew calendar, which is also lunisolar, and it has influenced other East Asian calendars, such as those of Korea and Vietnam. Because the Chinese calendar defines the lunar month containing the winter solstice as the 11th month, Lunar New Year usually falls on the second new moon after the winter solstice. Just like New Year according to the Gregorian calendar January 1, Lunar New Year celebrations start on the night before the first day of the new year. Note China follows the Gregorian calendar for daily business, but still follows the Chinese calendar for important festivals, auspicious dates such as wedding dates, and the Moon phases. Who Celebrates Lunar New Year? Although this holiday has commonly been called “Chinese New Year” in the West, China is not the only country to observe it. Lunar New Year, also known as the Spring Festival, is the most celebrated and longest of all Asian festivals, and is observed by millions of people around the world. A number of other countries in East Asia, including Vietnam, Korea, Japan, and the Philippines, hold their own new year celebrations at this time. Occasionally, the date celebrated may differ by one day or even one moon cycle due to time zones and other factors. How Is Lunar New Year Celebrated? As with many winter solstice celebrations, the symbolic darkness of night is banished by the light of fireworks, lanterns, and candles. Man-made paper lanterns are hung by the hundreds in public areas, bringing good luck to the new year. There are dragon dances, performances, and festival parades with music and acrobatics. The festivities continue for two weeks, finishing with a special lantern festival, which signals the end of the New Year celebration period. Of course, much delicious food is made and served! For the New Year, it’s traditional to serve long noodles, symbolizing a long life. See our recipe for Longevity Noodles. Another popular recipe for New Year is Chinese Dumplings, symbolizing good luck and wealth. Families wrap them up and eat them as the clock strikes midnight. “Good Luck” is also a common theme of the New Year. Many children receive “lucky money” in red envelopes. Sometimes offerings are made to temples. People clean their homes and open their door to let good luck enter. According to tradition, no one should pick up a broom, in case you sweep the good luck for the New Year out of the door! What Is the Animal for Chinese New Year This Year? In 2023, we ring in the Year of the Rabbit, one of 12 animals in the Chinese zodiac. The animal designations of the zodiac follow a 12-year cycle and are always used in the same sequence. What Qualities Does the Rabbit Represent? Those born in the Year of the Rabbit are said to be talented at many things. They are affectionate people, often excelling at forming close relationships. However, they also appreciate tranquility and seek out peace. How the Chinese Zodiac Works The traditional Chinese lunisolar year has 12 months and 353 to 355 days or during a leap year, 13 months and 383 to 385 days. Therefore, the Chinese year usually begins several weeks into the western 365-day year usually between January 21 and February 20, not on January 1 of the Gregorian calendar. As is ancient tradition, the Chinese zodiac attaches animal signs to each lunar year in a cycle of 12 years. The animal designation changes at the start of the New Year. A Deeper Look On a broader scale, the Chinese lunisolar calendar counts its years according to the stem-branch system, which is a 60-year rotating name system also known as the Chinese sexagenary cycle. By this, a year’s name actually contains two parts the celestial stem and the terrestrial branch. The celestial, or heavenly stem, is taken from a rotating list of 10 terms concerning the yin/yang forms of five elements. The Stem wood, fire, earth, metal, and water jia, yi, bing, ding, wu, ji, geng, xin, ren, and gui. Stem/Element jia = yang wood yi = yin wood bing = yang fire ding = yin fire wu = yang earth ji = yin earth geng = yang metal xin = yin metal ren = yang water gui = yin water The terrestrial, or earthly, branch is taken from a rotating list of the 12 animal names of the Chinese zodiac. Branch/Animal zi = rat chou = ox yin = tiger mao = rabbit chen = dragon si = snake wu = horse wei = sheep/goat shen = monkey you = rooster xu = dog hai - boar/pig So, putting the stem and branch terms together, the first year in a 60-year cycle is called jia-zi Year of the Rat as jia is the celestial stem and zi rat is the terrestrial branch. The next year is yi-chou Year of the Ox, and so on. The 11th year is jia-xu, etc., until a new cycle starts over with jia-zi. Which Chinese Zodiac Sign Are You? Below are the 12 animal designations of the Chinese zodiac. Please note If you were born before the Chinese New Year began for the year listed, then you were born under the previous Chinese zodiac sign. For example, the Chinese New Year began on January 28 in 2017; from that date onward, the sign is the Rooster. For those born between January 1 and January 27, 2017, the sign is the Monkey. Rat Zi Ambitious and sincere, you can be generous with your money. Compatible with the dragon and the monkey. Your opposite is the horse. 1900, 1912, 1924, 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008, 2020 Ox or Buffalo Chou A leader, you are bright, patient, and cheerful. Compatible with the snake and the rooster. Your opposite is the sheep. 1901, 1913, 1925, 1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009, 2021 Tiger Yin Forthright and sensitive, you possess great courage. You have the ability to be a strong leader capable of great sympathy. Compatible with the horse and the dog. Your opposite is the monkey. 1902, 1914, 1926, 1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010, 2022 Rabbit or Hare Mao Talented and affectionate, you are a seeker of tranquility. Compatible with the sheep and the pig. Your opposite is the rooster. 1903, 1915, 1927, 1939, 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011, 2023 Dragon Chen Robust and passionate, your life is filled with complexity. Compatible with the monkey and the rat. Your opposite is the dog. 1904, 1916, 1928, 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012, 2024 Snake Si Strong-willed and intense, you display great wisdom. Compatible with the rooster and the ox. Your opposite is the pig. 1905, 1917, 1929, 1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, 2013, 2025 Horse Wu Physically attractive and popular, you like the company of others. Compatible with the tiger and the dog. Your opposite is the rat. 1906, 1918, 1930, 1942, 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002, 2014, 2026 Sheep or Goat Wei Aesthetic and stylish, you enjoy being a private person. Compatible with the pig and the rabbit. Your opposite is the ox. 1907, 1919, 1931, 1943, 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003, 2015, 2027 Monkey Shen Persuasive, skillful, and intelligent, you strive to excel. Compatible with the dragon and the rat. Your opposite is the tiger. 1908, 1920, 1932, 1944, 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004, 2016, 2028 Rooster You Seeking wisdom and truth, you have a pioneering spirit. Compatible with the snake and the ox. Your opposite is the rabbit. 1909, 1921, 1933, 1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005, 2017, 2029 Dog Xu Generous and loyal, you have the ability to work well with others. Compatible with the horse and the tiger. Your opposite is the dragon. 1910, 1922, 1934, 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006, 2018, 2030 Pig or Boar Hai Gallant and noble, your friends will remain at your side. Compatible with the rabbit and the sheep. Your opposite is the snake. 1911, 1923, 1935, 1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007, 2019, 2031 What’s your Chinese zodiac sign? Let us know in the comments!

lunar new year or tet is vietnam's main holiday