1What is New Year’s Eve? The Significance of the New Year’s Eve Moment
New Year’s Eve (also known as the Eve of the Passing Year) is the final night of the old year, marking the transition between the old and the new year, beginning at the Hour of the Rat (00:00:00 on the first day of the first lunar month). This night is a significant moment, signifying the end of the old year and the arrival of the new, bringing longevity to the elderly and growth to the young.
New Year’s Eve holds the meaning of warding off evil spirits, negativity, and all misfortunes from the old year, welcoming luck and success into the new year. It is considered a time of peace, a moment to let go of worries, a night of tranquility and sacredness.
2What to Prepare for a Complete New Year’s Eve?
To welcome a meaningful New Year’s Eve and a smooth new year, thorough preparation is essential. Below are the tasks to complete before the sacred moment.
Cleaning the House and Decorating the Ancestral Altar
Cleaning the house before New Year’s Eve not only keeps the living space tidy but also symbolizes sweeping away the misfortunes of the old year.
Especially, the ancestral altar should be cleaned and decorated with a tray of five fruits and fresh flowers to show respect to the ancestors.
Cleaning and Decorating the Ancestral Altar
Preparing the New Year’s Eve Offering Tray
The New Year’s Eve offering tray is the most important ritual, expressing the sincerity of the family head towards heaven and earth, and the ancestors. The offering tray is usually divided into two: one for outdoor offerings and one for indoor offerings on the ancestral altar.
Basic offerings typically include roasted chicken, sticky rice or Chung cake, incense, betel leaves and areca nuts, wine, tea, and paper money, though these may vary according to regional customs.
Preparing the Offering Tray
Choosing Lucky Outfits
At the moment of the new year transition, people often choose to wear new, bright-colored clothes, hoping for a fresh start. Especially, outfits in red or yellow are popular as these colors symbolize luck, prosperity, and vibrancy.
Choosing Bright-Colored Outfits
3Suggested Meaningful Activities for New Year’s Eve
New Year’s Eve is a time for family reunions, gatherings with friends, and engaging in traditional customs to wish for a peaceful and happy new year.
New Year’s Eve Offering
The New Year’s Eve offering (Passing Year Offering) is held at the Hour of the Rat (00:00 on the first day of the Lunar New Year). This is the most important ritual, bidding farewell to the old year’s Guardian Deity and welcoming the new year’s Guardian Deity, praying for a year of favorable weather and national peace.
Outdoor New Year’s Eve Offering (Offering to Heaven and Earth)
The offering tray is placed in the front yard or balcony, a ritual to the deities governing heaven and earth. The family head will sincerely pray, seeking blessings for a peaceful and lucky new year.
Indoor New Year’s Eve Offering (Offering to Ancestors)
After completing the outdoor offering, the family head will light incense on the ancestral altar to invite ancestors to celebrate Tet with the family. This is a way to express filial piety and the tradition of “remembering the source” of the nation.
Reciting the New Year’s Eve Prayer
The prayer is an indispensable part of the offering, expressing the sincerity and wishes of the family head. There are separate prayers for outdoor and indoor offerings, which the family head should prepare in advance to recite solemnly and clearly.
Reciting the Prayer for Peace
Gathering for a Cozy Year-End Meal
The year-end meal usually takes place in the afternoon or evening of the 29th or 30th of the Lunar New Year, a time for all family members to gather after a year of hard work. Before eating, the family will offer a tray of food to invite ancestors to reunite during the three days of Tet.
First-Footing to Welcome Luck
According to folk belief, the first person to enter the house after New Year’s Eve will bring luck or misfortune to the family for the entire year. Therefore, families often invite someone compatible in age, with a cheerful personality, and success to bring good fortune and harmony.
Picking New Year’s Luck for Prosperity
After New Year’s Eve, many people visit the temple and pick a small lucky branch to bring home. The lucky branch symbolizes growth and prosperity, carrying the luck and prosperity of heaven and earth for the family in the new year.
Watching the “Táo Quân” Show
Watching the “Táo Quân” show has become a familiar and symbolic activity for many Vietnamese families on New Year’s Eve. The whole family gathers to watch the Jade Emperor’s reports, laugh at humorous situations, and reflect on societal issues of the past year.
Watching the “Táo Quân” Show
Sending New Year Greetings and Lucky Money
At the moment of New Year’s Eve, people send each other the best wishes for a new year of health and prosperity. Along with that, adults give lucky money to children in red envelopes, not only as a material gift but also as a wish for children to grow up healthy, study well, and have good luck.
Watching Fireworks and Attending Countdown Events
For young people or families wanting to enjoy a vibrant atmosphere, going out to watch fireworks or attending New Year countdown events is a great choice. This is an opportunity to immerse oneself in the crowd, count down together, and witness the dazzling fireworks welcoming the new year.
4Some Notes for a Lucky New Year’s Eve
Our ancestors believed, “Worship to be blessed, avoid to be safe.” To start a smooth new year, you should avoid the following actions during New Year’s Eve and the first day of the Lunar New Year:
- Do not break objects: The sound of breaking glass or dishes is considered a bad omen of separation and breakage in the new year.
- Avoid arguments and loud voices: Maintain harmony, avoid saying unlucky things to keep the family happy and harmonious throughout the year.
- Do not sweep the house out the door: This action is believed to sweep away luck and fortune from the house.
- Avoid giving away fire or water: Fire and water symbolize luck and prosperity, so do not give them away at the beginning of the year.
- Do not wear white or black clothes: These colors are often associated with funerals, so avoid wearing them at the beginning of the new year.
5New Year’s Eve Activities for Those Alone or Away from Home
If you have to spend New Year’s Eve alone or away from home, don’t be sad. You can still create a meaningful New Year’s Eve for yourself with the following activities:
- Clean and decorate your room to make it fresh and new.
- Prepare a small offering tray to show respect to your ancestors.
- Video call your family and relatives to share the transition moment.
- Watch the “Táo Quân” show or other Tet entertainment programs.
- Write down your goals and plans for the new year to motivate yourself.
Spending New Year’s Eve alone can still be warm and meaningful in your own way
6Frequently Asked Questions About New Year’s Eve
What is the most important thing to do on New Year’s Eve?
The most important and sacred thing is to perform the New Year’s Eve offering to bid farewell to the old year, welcome the new year, and spend time with family to strengthen bonds.
What should be avoided on New Year’s Eve for a lucky year?
Avoid breaking objects, arguing, saying unlucky things, sweeping the house out the door, and giving away fire or water to retain luck for the family.
What should be prepared for the outdoor New Year’s Eve offering tray?
The outdoor offering tray usually includes roasted chicken, sticky rice or Chung cake, incense, betel leaves and areca nuts, wine, tea, and paper money. Offerings may vary according to regional customs and family conditions.
What should be done on New Year’s Eve if alone or away from home?
You can clean the house, prepare a small offering tray, video call family, watch the “Táo Quân” show, or write down new year goals to make the moment more meaningful.
What is the exact time of New Year’s Eve?
The exact time of New Year’s Eve is 00:00:00, the beginning of the first day of the Lunar New Year. This is the complete transition moment between the old and the new year.
Why is it important to choose the first-footer?
According to folk belief, the first person to enter the house after New Year’s Eve will bring luck or misfortune to the family for the entire year. Therefore, the chosen person should be “compatible in age” and have a cheerful, successful personality to bring good fortune.
Where will fireworks be displayed this New Year’s Eve?
Information about fireworks display locations is usually updated annually. You should follow official announcements from the People’s Committees of provinces/cities, typically released 1-2 weeks before Tet for the most accurate information.
New Year’s Eve is considered a time of transition to a new year, a moment of peace, letting go of worries, a night of tranquility and sacredness. Wishing you a peaceful and happy new year!
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