Has Tet become less meaningful?

Many people say, "Tet (Lunar New Year) is less vibrant now, not like it used to be." Is it true that Tet in modern times is less exciting than in the past – when things were difficult and scarce?

Tet (Vietnamese New Year) in a family with four generations living together.

During these Lunar New Year days, the family of Ms. Le Thi Chau Minh, residing in District 12, Ho Chi Minh City, is bustling with excitement. Before Tet, she and her husband and daughters clean and decorate the house, shop for groceries, and cook delicious dishes. In particular, the whole family focuses on wrapping banh chung (traditional Vietnamese rice cakes), staying up all night to watch over the pot as the cakes cook.

Ms. Chau Minh's family celebrates Tet.

Ms. Chau Minh's family has two children. The younger one is Tran Hoang Thai Binh , a 9th-grade student at An Nhon Secondary School in Go Vap District. The older one is Tran Hoang Minh An, an 11th-grade student at Tran Cao Van High School in Go Vap District. "I want to use this activity of wrapping banh chung (traditional Vietnamese rice cakes) to help my children understand Tet (Vietnamese New Year) and the customs and traditions of the Vietnamese people. Although we don't lack anything now, and goods are readily available in supermarkets and traditional markets, the feeling of the whole family together wrapping the cakes, waiting for them to cook, and then eating, drinking, and chatting happily will be a memorable experience for my children," Ms. Chau Minh shared.

Both her paternal and maternal families live in Ho Chi Minh City. During the first days of the new year, Chau Minh's entire family gathers to cook, exchange New Year greetings, and visit both sides of the family. On the first day of Tet, her family visits her maternal grandparents' house to offer New Year wishes, then moves on to her paternal grandparents' house. Chau Minh's maternal family is a four-generation household: her maternal grandparents, her parents, her younger brother and his wife, and their children. Her maternal grandparents are both over 90 years old but are still mentally alert, able to move around and eat regularly. They are very affectionate and loving towards each other, still calling each other "brother" and "sister."

Ms. Chau Minh is making banh chung (traditional Vietnamese rice cakes) for Tet (Vietnamese New Year) with her younger siblings and nieces and nephews.

Chau Minh's younger brother teaches his daughter how to make a traditional Tet rice cake (Banh Chung).

"Early on the first day of the Lunar New Year, all the children and grandchildren were present at my maternal grandparents' house. The atmosphere was lively and joyful, the happiest of the year. Children and grandchildren gave lucky money to their grandparents, adults gave lucky money to the younger ones, and everyone greeted each other after a year of hard work. The atmosphere of Tet was truly special," said Ms. Chau Minh.

"Our extended family has a tradition: during Tet (Lunar New Year), each household prepares some delicious dishes. On the first day of Tet, I bring some delicious dishes to my maternal grandparents' house to cook together, and the whole family gathers to eat. We are always grateful that our family still has both grandparents and parents. Tet is an opportunity for our children to understand family traditions, to appreciate and preserve the traditional values ​​of our nation," Ms. Chau Minh confided. For this reason, for women of the 80s generation, Tet never fades. Each new year brings new emotions, leaving behind beautiful memories in the hearts of each child in the family.

Let's work together to make Tet even more meaningful.

Lecturer and Master's degree holder Bui Thi Minh Thuy, a member of the Ho Chi Minh City Center for Research, Preservation and Development of Cuisine , believes that every family member can contribute to making the Tet holiday warmer, starting with small things like cooking together and helping to create heartwarming family meals.

Beneath the newly bloomed peach blossoms, the family busily makes cakes to celebrate Tet.

Students have had a busy year of studying and exams, so the Lunar New Year holidays are the ideal time to cook together. In today's technologically advanced age, it's easy to find and discover traditional dishes online, creatively adapting and preparing familiar foods in a more modern way while still preserving their original flavors.

You can ask your grandparents and parents about the meaning of each dish and how to prepare it, then go to the market together to choose fresh ingredients and learn about the different vegetables and fruits available during Tet. Family members can participate in the preparation process, washing vegetables, slicing meat, mixing spices, etc., and learn cooking skills together. For example, the whole family can wrap banh chung (traditional Vietnamese rice cakes), braise meat with eggs, make banh xeo (Vietnamese savory pancakes)... Starting with simple tasks like beating eggs, mixing flour, and marinating meat, the children will gradually be able to prepare familiar dishes themselves...

Tet is truly special when family members gather together to prepare delicious dishes.

Especially during Tet (Lunar New Year), it's a time to capture beautiful moments. The whole family cooks together, takes photos, films the cooking process, and shares them on social media. Children can also write diaries, recording their feelings and thoughts about Tet...

I write these lines amidst the traditional scent of incense during Tet, the fragrant aroma of cooking, the playful chatter of my grandchildren as they prepare to wrap banh chung (traditional rice cakes), and the delicate pink blossoms of peach trees. The feeling is hard to describe; it's still as nostalgic as when I was 10 years old, eagerly awaiting Tet to eat delicious sweets and receive lucky money.

Whether Tet (Vietnamese Lunar New Year) feels strong or weak is a matter of personal perspective. The Lunar New Year still comes around every year. There's still New Year's Eve and the three days of Tet. But perhaps the people sitting beside us enjoying tea and admiring flowers this Tet are different from those in previous years. How we perceive Tet, what we do, and how we truly live during those moments will determine whether Tet feels strong or weak in our hearts.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/tet-co-nhat-di-185250127181246964.htm