I would be remiss in my duties as Vietnam cultural observer if I did not talk about the biggest celebration in the whole of Vietnam that is coming up (I do not exaggerate) the New Year - Tet. This year Tet starts February 15th - (New Year's Eve) - and the partying will last several days. In Vietnam that means everyone who can travels home to be with their mother and father and grandparents - the whole family reunites, for about 3 days. They eat together, celebrate together, and it is a big family reunion, and gifts are given by everyone to everyone - money, food, New Years trinkets, etc. (This has been explained to me by hotel staff in Hanoi, taxi drivers in Hue, and the bus driver at the Hoi An Beach Resort. )
And so daily I am dodging flowers being delivered, or weaving through sidewalks being filled with flowers to be sold, and various New Years Good Luck trinkets available for purchase.
Know this as you view these photos of preparation for Tet - everything is about having Good Luck in the New Year, honoring the ancestors, and being with family as it starts so everyone has good luck together. Now - Let's see if you can tell what the two luckiest colors in Vietnam are . . .
Leslie
2018-02-11
Enjoy your new years celebration this week!