Tet Festival

Tet (short for Tet Nguyen Dan, meaning 'The First Day') is celebrated all over Vietnam, but celebrations are particularly festive in Ho Chi Minh City.

Marking the end of the lunar calendar and the beginning of Spring, Tet officially lasts one week, but celebrations continue for a lot longer in different regions of Vietnam. It's a time of renewal, for cooking special foods and housecleaning, for giving lucky money to children and the elderly, wishing New Year greetings and for starting new business ventures. Most Vietnamese travel home to their families during Tet, and the first day of Tet is usually reserved for the immediate family. Once the family time has been observed, people take to the streets to light firecrackers and ring bells or gongs to ward off evil spirits. Dancing and celebration continues, after which everyone returns home to feast and enjoy the New Year with one another.