Waiting for Tet
In the early 80s of the last century, in my hometown, a purely agricultural area in Nghe An, almost every family was short of food all year round. Meals consisting of rice mixed with sweet potatoes, noodles with pennywort, and boiled banana roots haunted 6-7 year old children like me. And we only looked forward to Tet. Tet had banh chung, meat, white rice, new clothes… even though it came and went very quickly.
Countryside market on Tet holiday
Tet Nguyen Dan in my hometown starts on the 23rd of December with the ceremony to worship the Kitchen God. In those times of famine, the ceremony was very simple, mainly vegetarian food, very few families offered meat and we, the gluttonous children, did not receive much benefit. Tet only really reached every household from the 27th of December.
That morning, the sound of pigs squealing from the upper and lower villages was very bustling. This was the time when agricultural cooperatives slaughtered pigs to distribute meat to members for Tet. In the 1980s, my father was still in the army, my mother, my younger brother and I received meat for Tet. We gathered around the cooperative yard to watch the adults slaughter the pigs. In the atmosphere filled with joy and excitement, we anxiously awaited the moment when we would be given meat to take home.
The meat was cut into small pieces and placed on bamboo trays. One person held a notebook, reading the list of members so that 4-5 others could weigh the meat. The meat, including the bones, was strung on bamboo strips. Each person got 200 grams of meat. There were 3 people in my family so I got 600 grams, along with some boiled intestines. Receiving my family's portion, I eagerly took the skein of meat home, walking and running, my heart filled with joy.
My mother divided some pieces of intestines for my brother and I to eat first. The intestines were cold but still delicious. As for the pork, my mother removed the fat and buried it in a salt container in the corner of the kitchen to save for frying and stir-frying vegetables. My mother braised the lean meat with salt. The small pot of braised meat was not enough to eat during the Tet holiday, but its delicious taste has stayed with me until now.
The Veo market in the neighboring commune, a few kilometers from my village, meets on even days. Every year on December 28, this market is the most crowded because it is the main session of the Tet market. My mother carried a bamboo basket, wearing a conical hat, and led my younger brother to the market. I skipped along behind. The spring rain was drizzling, the village road was muddy. The Tet market was bustling with buyers and sellers, very happy. My mother often bought clothes for my siblings, then bought betel, areca, some oranges, sea fish and a kilo of meat. My mother said that no matter how difficult it was, we had to buy these things for Tet. My mother carried the basket home, and Tet rushed into the house.
Happy New Year
On the morning of the first day of the Lunar New Year, my mother prepared areca nuts, betel nuts, and oranges for us to go and wish each other a happy new year. My mother went first, and my younger brother and I followed behind. We went to the houses of our relatives in the village and relatives in other villages. For the elders, my mother brought gifts, usually 3-5 areca nuts or 1 orange as a New Year's gift. My mother placed the gifts on the table and politely said: "Today is the first day of the Lunar New Year, my mother and I have areca nuts to wish our grandparents a happy new year...". My mother taught me this New Year's greeting and when I was in first grade, I said the greetings on behalf of my mother and was praised and given candy by the adults, so I was very happy. In my hometown, New Year's greetings are called "Mung Tuoi", which means wishing for a new age. When I went to wish each other a happy new year, I also received lucky money. The happiest part was receiving coins to play marbles; eating banh chung and candy; things that we could hardly dream of when the New Year was over.
Tet cake package
In my hometown, from ancient times until now, during Tet, everyone in the village visits each other's house to celebrate the new year. In the past, gifts were just a few areca nuts for adults to chew betel or a few oranges, now it is a package of cakes. But Tet gifts have been gradually streamlined and are mainly visits to visit, wish the family a happy new year, drink water, and chat. No one forces anyone to visit a house to wish the family a happy new year, but it has become a custom, if you don't go, you feel guilty towards others. The custom of giving lucky money helps everyone in the village and commune to be more united and share with each other. When giving lucky money to lonely elderly people, people in difficult circumstances, sick people, children often bring cakes and adults often bring a little money to visit.
My hometown had a Mr. Thoi, who was poor at that time but lived a very affectionate life. Every Tet he would go around the commune to give lucky money, regardless of whether they were related or not. Mr. Thoi often brought a few oranges, put them in a nylon bag. At every house, he would bring out one, saying: "There's nothing for Tet, just oranges, I come to give lucky money to the family for a peaceful new year, good luck in business". At every house, Mr. Thoi would just sit for a few minutes, ask and chat happily, then say goodbye. Everyone in the commune respected him, accepted the wishes, and asked to return the oranges to him. Mr. Thoi smiled and said: "Since you gave it to me, I'll take it back, I wish you all the best in the new year".
In the past and present, every early morning of the first day of the new year, in my hometown, children and grandchildren flock to their grandparents' and parents' houses to wish them a happy new year, before going to give lucky money to other relatives. The laughter is boisterous. The family temples are bustling with the sound of sacrificial drums. The poles are erected in every corner of the village. Girls are dressed up carrying trays of food to the temple to worship their ancestors. On normal days, in the village, there are only women and the elderly, young and middle-aged people go to the North, to the South, to work abroad, but every New Year's Day, the village is crowded and bustling. New Year is a time for reunion, making people far from home want to return to their families and relatives. At home, old fathers and mothers only look forward to the New Year so that their children and grandchildren can return home to reunite.
Having left the village for nearly 30 years, many of the old people I used to visit to wish lucky money on New Year's Day have passed away, but the bond from the custom of giving lucky money has helped me remember clearly the family relationships, even though they are many generations apart.
Tet is still the same, still brings many spiritual values that make anyone far from home miss and long to return.
Ho Chi Minh City streets are deserted, temples are crowded on the first day of Tet
Source: https://thanhnien.vn/tet-o-lang-185250106171924561.htm
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