On the last days of the old year, many Vietnamese families perform the New Year's Eve ceremony. This is a long-standing custom and also a time for family members to gather together.
“For many people, New Year's Eve is as important as the first day of Tet. Therefore, in the last days of the year, you have 5 important things to do.
These things not only bring luck, prosperity, and fortune, but are also a long-standing cultural beauty that needs to be preserved," said expert Nguyen Song Ha.
Bathing in coriander leaves is one of the 5 things to do on New Year's Eve. Photo: Trinh Trinh
Below are 5 important things to do on New Year's Eve according to feng shui expert Nguyen Song Ha:
New Year's Eve Offering
On New Year’s Eve, an important thing that cannot be missed is the New Year’s Eve worship. Everyone should note that during the worship, the instructions on how to arrange and prepare the offerings, the auspicious date and time must be followed correctly…
Offering to welcome the Kitchen Gods home
According to tradition, Vietnamese families will make offerings to the Kitchen Gods to send them off to heaven on the 23rd of December. This is the day the Kitchen Gods ride a carp to heaven to report to the Jade Emperor about all the events in the lower world during the past year.
For the year 2025, after 6 days, that is, on December 29, you need to perform an offering to welcome the Kitchen God back home and protect the whole family in the new year.
Therefore, offering to welcome the Kitchen God is also something that needs to be done on New Year's Eve. The offering time will be from 7-11pm, before the New Year's Eve offering.
The offerings are the same as when sending the Kitchen Gods to heaven.
Bath with coriander leaves
Since ancient times, bathing in coriander leaves on the last day of the year has been a familiar custom of Vietnamese people. The ancients believed that bathing in coriander leaves on the last day of the old year would help dispel bad luck and welcome a happier, better new year.
According to science, bathing with coriander leaves actually brings many good effects, and is considered a method of purifying the body.
Furthermore, bathing with coriander leaves is also said to help treat depression, reduce stress, reduce headaches, clean the skin, and leave a pleasant scent...
Have a family meal
The New Year's Eve meal will be more meaningful and warm if the whole family gathers together.
During a busy year, try to spare some time to join the New Year's Eve dinner with your grandparents, parents, and siblings. In the sacred moments of transition, slow down a bit to feel the warmth of family love.
New Year's Eve Offering
After the New Year's Eve meal, families will prepare for the New Year's Eve offering. This is a ritual with spiritual value, a ceremony to send off the bad luck and misfortune of the old year and welcome the good things that will come in the new year.
Not only that, this is also a ritual with cultural value, showing gratitude to ancestors, sending off the old gods and welcoming the new gods.
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