Hi everyone, my name is Tan Nguyen.
Some of you, who have been enjoying traditional
Tet in Vietnam or heard about it through somebody?
Tet as know as Lunar New Year is a special
and important event in the culture of Vietnamese.
If you already knew about New Year in US,
then you should to know one more New Year
from another country.
That can help you know more culture.
I am Vietnamese and was born in there.
That why I can know clearly about culture.
There are four main points in this speech:
how people prepare for Tet, what special food
use in Tet, what people do in Tet, and meaning
of Li xi (Red Envelop).
I show you a picture about Tet.
First, we will discuss about what people prepare
for Tet.
But we need to know “What is Tet?”
Tet is traditional New Year of Vietnamese
marking arrive of first day of first month
in lunar calendar (around late January or
early February).
Before Tet about 4-5 days, peoples will allow
to leave company or school to return where
they were born.
In that days, bus and train station, airport
will busy creating the atmosphere of the New
Year.
Moms will go to the market and prepare foods
for Tet.
Other members have responsible to cleaning
up house.
They will buy new clothes and choose a flower
pot to decorate.
Some house will open parties at end year look
like Thank Giving.
In Tet days, there are two important color:
yellow and red.
Yellow with the meaning will bring the wealthy
for family.
Red with meaning will bring lucky, happy,
and peaceful.
Second, we will discuss about special food
in Tet.
There are two famous food in Tet, Chung Cake
or Tet Cake, Vietnamese Jam. Chung Cake or
Tet Cake had a long-time history.
It was connected to story from a man with
a king 4000 years ago.
These cakes are symbol for Tet.
This is the picture for Chung Cake and Tet
Cake Vietnamese Jam is a food that necessary
for Tet.
Children and old people are very like Jam.
Jam use together with tea.
There are many Jam, such as coconut, ginger,
strawberry, kumquat.
This is the Coconut Jam and this is Ginger
Jam.
Third, we will discuss about what people do
in Tet Days.
People will go tending graves to show respect
to the dead and visits grandparents and send
greetings for good health.
Second day, people will go each house in neighbor
to greetings new year for lucky in work, education,
and family.
Third day, people will go to pilgrimage temples
to pray for lucky and avoid from devil.
Fourth day, people will go travel somewhere.
Finally, we will discuss about Li xi and its
significant.
Li xi (Red Envelop) is a lucky money from
the guests to each house to greetings family.
Li xi will give to children to make them happy
and have a new year with great things.
People believe that Li xi make children smile
will make family become better and wealthy.
I will show you mine Li xi when I go to temple
in Nashville
Although somebody want to cancel this traditional
new year to combined with new year at first
January, same Japan a few years ago.
I don’t want it to happen, I will try to
protect this traditional culture.
In conclusion, Tet is important event in Vietnam
culture when family member return grandparents’
house to visit, greeting, have a best time
together.
Now, you can know about Tet and its culture.
I hope you will enjoying one time in Vietnam
at special event.
I have plan to come back Vietnam next year
to enjoy Tet at February 5, 2019.
