Wilted Flowers
During the Tet holiday, it is customary for Vietnamese families to display fresh flower arrangements as a sign of respect and gratitude towards their ancestors. However, it is considered inauspicious to keep these flowers on the altar after the holiday. Specifically, by the third day after Tet, it is advisable to remove any wilted flowers, branches of apricot or peach blossoms from the ancestral altar.
In Vietnamese culture, fresh flowers symbolize reverence and appreciation for one’s forebears. Leaving wilted flowers on the altar for an extended period is believed to bring bad luck, reduce prosperity, and negatively impact the family’s overall Feng Shui. Therefore, as soon as Tet is over and spring arrives, families are encouraged to discard the wilted flowers and start afresh.
Paper Money and Gold
Paper money and gold are familiar spiritual items for Vietnamese people, and they are indispensable during worship ceremonies. Offering these items to ancestors is a way for descendants to express their care, gratitude, and reverence. While paper money and gold do not deteriorate over time, it is advisable not to leave them on the altar for too long after Tet and to take them down promptly.
The presence of these items on the altar for an extended period is believed to impact the family’s business and financial endeavors negatively. It may create obstacles and hinder the smooth flow of prosperity. Ideally, when performing the ritual of burning paper offerings, the family should include the paper money and gold in the ceremony.
3 Things to Discard After Tet for a Prosperous New Year
Artificial Flowers and Fruits
Many households prefer to display artificial flowers and fruits on their altars, but this is not recommended. Similar to artificial flowers, gold-plated leaves and gems are also man-made items, and displaying them for too long on the altar can be seen as a sign of disrespect to one’s ancestors. Furthermore, these items may disrupt the spiritual energy of the altar, attracting negative influences and impacting the family’s fortune. Therefore, it is advisable to remove them promptly and avoid any potential ill effects on the family’s prosperity.
The information in this article is for reference only and is not intended as spiritual guidance.
