For Vietnamese people in general and Thanh Hoa people in particular, Tet is not only an occasion for family reunion, but also a time with many traditional customs and practices. Among them, the custom of “xong dat” and “hai dau dau” (picking spring luck) are the “opening” activities with important meanings on the first day of the new year.
Ms. Do Thi Nga (Dong Ve ward, Thanh Hoa city) welcomes the first visitor of the new year 2025.
The custom of “xong dat” or “xong nha” originates from the belief that the first person to enter the house on the first day of Tet will bring luck and fortune to the homeowner throughout the year. When the clock hands slowly touch the moment of New Year’s Eve, everyone and every household prepares to welcome a new year with good luck. At this moment, people believe that all the bad luck of the old year will pass, making way for a new beginning. Therefore, the first person to enter the house - the first person to enter the house - is expected to bring good things and fortune to the homeowner's family.
Up to now, choosing a person to enter the house first on New Year's Day is considered important by many families, especially those who do business. Ms. Do Thi Nga (Dong Ve Ward, Thanh Hoa City), who runs a restaurant business, consulted the age of the homeowner before Tet and asked someone to enter the house first on the first day of the New Year.
“In addition to age, personality is also very important. The person who comes to my family’s house this year is cheerful, optimistic, and sociable. My family is not too particular, but having a suitable person to come to our house in the new year makes us feel happy, hoping that everything will start smoothly, and business will be favorable,” said Ms. Nga.
For some families, the first visitor has been simplified. Some families do it themselves or simply choose someone who is virtuous, cheerful, and enthusiastic. Because they believe that the first visitor is a cultural beauty, choosing a person and age is just for reference. The important thing is to keep both the homeowner and the visitor happy and together look forward to good things in the new year.
Mr. Le Van Nong (Dong Ninh commune, Thanh Hoa city) said: “The first person to enter the house is really important to many families. But for our family, it depends on fate. If the first person to come to the house to wish us a happy New Year is compatible with our age, of course we are very happy, but if not, we are also happy. Everyone who comes to the house brings good wishes, which is a lucky gift of the new year. Because life always requires effort and self-effort, difficulties are inevitable. We cannot bring a bad mood on the first day of the new year just because the first person to enter the house is not compatible.”
Ms. Nguyen Thi Hoa (in white shirt) and her children went to the Phu Tia historical site to offer incense and pick spring buds.
The custom of "picking spring buds" is popular in most localities in the province. Picking spring buds is with the wish to ask for blessings from the gods, bringing prosperity and fortune to the family in the new year. In Van Son commune (Trieu Son), many people often come to the historical relic of Phu Tia right after the New Year's Eve or on the morning of the first day of Tet. Previously, many people often came here to pick a young branch of buds to bring home, but these actions have now ended, people are more aware of protecting the landscape and the environment. Ms. Nguyen Thi Hoa (village 8, Van Son commune) said: "On the first day of the new year, my children and I often come here to sincerely burn incense, ask for blessings to bring home, with the wish for a peaceful and prosperous new year. People who come here often buy a small package of salt, a small package of rice or a matchbox, a lighter, a gold branch and jade leaves... with the meaning of fullness and luck in the new year".
For Vietnamese people, the custom of entering the house and picking lucky branches at the beginning of spring contains profound meanings and spiritual values, reflecting the desire for a new year of good luck and fortune. On the other hand, the custom of entering the house and picking lucky branches at the beginning of spring also has the meaning of connecting feelings and promoting goodness. These are beautiful customs that need to be understood correctly and behaved in a civilized manner by everyone, so that the good traditional cultural values of the spring of the nation can be preserved and passed on to future generations.
Hoai Anh
Source: https://baothanhhoa.vn/gin-giu-net-dep-tuc-xong-dat-va-hai-loc-dau-xuan-238288.htm
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