In Vietnam, Feb the 3rd, 2011 will be the Tet Holiday (Lunar New Year). Do you know that we celebrate New Year based on Lunar callendar, not the first of Jan like westen countries, so jostling to buy and face a very expensive bus ticket is worthy to concern ^^, and even tired or dangerous to go in shopping mall and amusement park arround these crowded days. I had to buy ticket to go back my hometown nearly 1 month ago to be sure that I have a seat on bus. Gathering with family is the happiest gift for everyone on Tet days.
All of VNese women before the first day of Lunar New Year will take much time to stay at home to clean up and prepare many cakes= bánh (bánh chưng, bánh tét, bánh in, bánh cốm, bánh thuẫn), jam (coconut, ripen/ green tamarine, ginger, papaya, pineable), candy(milk, coffee, fruit, chocola), sweet drink (orange juice, cocacola, beer), and food(dried bamboo shoot and pork cooked with brine can be reserved for few days to eat) in oder to invite friends/ guests to their home because no shop, store, or market opens. Many of my friends become fatter after Tet ^^ while others say they can't eat anything cos' they are fed up with food. I can find all of my delicious foood in my family's refrigerator or cup board, hahaha
On Feb 3rd, we go along with our family to visit ancestors, tombs, temples, relatives and neighbours to give wishes and talk together. We have a poem: first day: Tet of father, 2nd day: Tet of mum, 3rd day: Tet of teachers, meeting old friends, reviewing family tradition...It's the happiest and wealthiest days within a year in VNese, you will see. It's like a year of hard- working and earning will be spent for few-day recreation like a king. Even the poorest family without much money to decorate home, buy new clothes, they also clean up their home from roof to floor and try to buy dried melon seed to crack and some colorful candies, and cheap cakes with a hot green tea cup to invite guests whom they converse with in their home. Rarely do my parents see their children, I and my brothers hang out from the early daytime. Ah, nothing special, I go to the home of my closest friend to eat strange foods that her family prepared and play with her neighbour like close friends before even I don't know anyone before. My brother and his male friends often ask my younger sister to take her female friends to hang out together. Oh, boy's sick!!!:D
If you are sad, come to VNese on Tet Holiday is a great idea to refresh everything cos you can feel the warm atmostphere everywhere. It's my feeling and experience at my hometown, no idea in Ho Chi Minh city. I heard that it become silent and deserted cos' most of students, workers, and rootless population go back to their home.
