Tết Nguyên Đán – Vietnamese New Year 2022
Today we want to tell you a little about the most important holiday in Vietnam tell: the so-called Tet Festival or the “ Vietnamese New Year ”. It takes place every year, depending on the lunar calendar, between late January and early February. Officially a three-day festival, it can often be celebrated for a week or longer. The Tet Festival 2022 begins on February 1 and rings the Year of the Water Tiger (Dần, Hổ) In Vietnam, the days up to and including February 5th are national holidays. In this spirit: “Chúc mừng năm mới”!
| Date of New Year's Day | Designation |
| 12 February 2021 | Year of the Metal Water Buffalo (Sửu Trâu) |
| February 1, 2022 | Year of the Water Tiger (Dần, Hổ) |
| January 22, 2023 | Year of the Water Cat (Mão Mèo) |
| February 10, 2024 | Year of the Wood Dragon (Thìn, Rồng) |
| January 29, 2025 | Year of the Wood Snake (Tị, Rắn) |
Tết Nguyên Đán (the "Festival of the First Morning"), or Tết for short, is primarily a time of gathering . In Chinese folklore and Taoism, it is described as the time when lesser deities, charged with protecting families and households throughout the year, returned to heaven to report on the past year.
For the Tet festival, the whole country traditionally stands still
Today, it is the time when children and family members from all corners of the country return to their home villages to celebrate together with their families. This tradition is sacred to the Vietnamese. Regardless of personal circumstances, every Vietnamese tries to visit their family during this time.
This also means that the whole country is more or less at a standstill for several days or even weeks. Shops and restaurants are closed and even airports and seaports are only operating at a minimum . Tết Fest 2022, the days from February 1st to 5th are national holidays!
Preparations for the festivities begin a few weeks beforehand all over Vietnam. Traditionally, people go to the hairdresser, buy new, festive clothes and decorate their homes. Shops and entire streets are decorated for the festivities and bakeries and markets sell traditional cakes, fresh fruit and special flowers. Interestingly, this is also the time to pay off outstanding debts in order to start the new year fresh and without any previous burdens.
There is delicious food for the Tet festival – with bánh tét, thịt kho or canh khổ qua
When the big day finally arrives, people retreat to their family homes. The first day of the Tet festival is the holiest day of the year. It is traditionally spent only with the family. Streets and squares are deserted on this day. Everyone wears their best clothes and children are given small red envelopes with money.
Depending on the region, there is also a traditional meal on this day. Bánh tét (a sweet cake made of sticky rice with various fillings, rolled in a banana leaf), thịt kho (caramelized pork with eggs) or canh khổ qua (a bitter gourd soup) are typical examples.
The cây nêu or “New Year’s tree”
Traditionally, there is also a cây nêu or "New Year tree" . This is (originally) a long bamboo cane decorated with crafted fish, cactus branches and bells. In various regions of Vietnam, apricot blossoms (Hoa Mai) or pink peach blossoms (Hao Dao) are also used for decoration.
In the following days, the Vietnamese visit friends and acquaintances, attend public dance performances or go to the local Buddhist temple. In a circle of friends, traditional card and dice games (e.g. Bau Cua, an original form of today's baccarat) are played in a large group over coffee and cake and the days are enjoyed with loved ones.
We wish you all a wonderful Tết Nguyên Đán. Come on, get me!
Frequently asked questions (FAQ) about the Vietnamese New Year ( Tết Nguyên Đán )
The Tet Festival falls on Tuesday, February 1st in 2022. In Vietnam, the following days up to and including February 5th are national holidays. Learn more.
Officially, Tết Nguyên Đán is a three-day festival. However, it is often celebrated for up to a week or longer. The Tet Festival 2022 begins on February 1st and heralds the Year of the Water Tiger (Dần, Hổ). In Vietnam, the days up to and including February 5th are national holidays. Learn more.
For the Tet festival, people traditionally come together with their families. This even means that more or less the whole country comes to a standstill for a few days. Traditionally, people go to the hairdresser, buy new, festive clothes and decorate their homes. Shops and entire streets are decorated for the festivities and bakeries and markets sell traditional cakes, fresh fruit and special flowers. Learn more .
During the Tet festival, it is typical to give red envelopes to children. These are called "Li Xi" and come from the Chinese words "lì shì", which means "luck". Traditionally, lucky money is a small amount of money that is put in a red envelope and then given to children. With this gesture, people wish them luck, health and good things for the New Year. The "Lucky Money" inside is traditionally a small amount of money and symbolizes growth and success.
The greeting “Happy New Year” translated into Vietnamese is “Chúc mừng năm mới”. Learn more.
