Can we have Tet offerings before 12am?
According to traditional culture, it is not necessary to hold the Tet offering exactly at midnight. From 11pm on the 30th of the Lunar December to 1am on the first day of the Lunar New Year, the host can perform the Tet offering during this time. In ancient times, it was believed that before 1am on the first day of the Lunar New Year, the deities in charge of looking after the lower realm of the old year would hand over their duties to the deities in charge of the new year. The host should not perform the offering too early or too late to receive the deities at the right time.
In the Year of the Wood Snake 2024, when is the best time to start the Tet offering?
The Tet offering is an essential ritual on the night of the 30th of the Lunar December. This offering ritual is meant to remove all the negatives from the old year and welcome the positives of the new year.
According to feng shui experts, in the Year of the Wood Snake 2024, the host can start the Tet offering from the Rat hour (11pm) on the 30th of the Lunar December to 1am on the first day of the Lunar New Year, or perform the ritual at the exact Rat hour (midnight) and finish before 1am on the first day of the Lunar New Year.
This is the moment of transition from the old year to the new year. Performing the Tet offering at this time brings a lot of luck to the host.
Performing the Tet offering at the exact Rat hour, the host will receive the witness of the deities, and they will grant blessings, fortune, and prosperity. However, if it is not possible to arrange the time of the offering at this exact moment, the host can perform it earlier.
Depending on local customs and family conditions, the host can prepare the offerings accordingly.
The outdoor Tet offering table usually includes a tray of five fruits, incense, fresh flowers, lanterns/candles, betel leaves and areca nuts, salt, rice, tea, wine, divine garments, boiled rooster, sticky rice cakes, and traditional square sticky rice cakes…
The indoor Tet offering table is for the worship of the Earth deity, the deity governing the home. This table can be prepared similarly to the outdoor Tet offering table, but without the betel leaves and areca nuts.
The indoor Tet offering table is usually more abundant, typically including incense, flowers, candles/lamps, cakes and candies, alcohol, Tet preserves, a tray of five fruits, gold coins, a pair of square sticky rice cakes, boiled rooster, red sticky rice, bamboo shoot soup… The host can prepare the dishes according to their family’s conditions.
The information provided is for reference and personal interpretation.
