Tips

“A Prosperous Start: Rituals for a Successful New Year”

The grand opening is a significant event for any business venture, and thus, the altar for this special day demands a more elaborate and respectful setup than usual.

Administrator

14 July, 2024

At the beginning of a new year, anyone in business will perform a ceremony to wish for a smooth and successful year of trading. So, on this day, in addition to decorating their business premises, business owners usually prepare an elaborate offering to pray for a prosperous start to the year.

Further reference: What is Tết? The Meaning of Tết Nguyên Tiêu Holiday

1The Meaning of the Grand Opening Ceremony

The grand opening ceremony is an essential ritual when starting a business venture.

According to Vietnamese customs and traditions, the grand opening ceremony is an essential ritual when starting a business or any new venture. The common belief is that “what starts well, ends well”, so the Vietnamese people attach great importance to this ceremony, considering it as a good omen for the future.

As the ancients said, each piece of land, river, and mountain has its own guardian deity. When performing the grand opening ceremony, you are presenting yourself and seeking permission from the deity of that place to open your business and also seeking their blessings for your store or company’s prosperity and good fortune.

When you are about to start a new business, the grand opening ceremony must be performed carefully and with sincerity. A successful and auspicious ceremony will surely bring good luck to your company or store, and all subsequent endeavors will also be favorable.

Further reference: A Simple Guide to Performing the Housewarming Ceremony Effectively and Sincerely

2Guidelines for the Grand Opening Ceremony at the Beginning of the Year

Choosing an Auspicious Day and Time for the Ceremony

Choosing an auspicious day and time for the grand opening ceremony.

Before performing the grand opening ceremony, you should consult the calendar to choose a lucky day and time according to your age to determine the best time for the ceremony, set up the offering table, and open your business to welcome guests so that everything goes well and your business thrives and attracts many customers.

What Should Be Included in the Offering for the Grand Opening Ceremony at the Beginning of the Year?

To ensure that the grand opening ceremony for the company or organization goes smoothly, people usually prepare the offerings very carefully and respectfully. To avoid any omissions, you should refer to the following list of items to purchase for the ceremony:

The offering for the grand opening ceremony.

The offering for the grand opening ceremony at the beginning of the year usually includes:

A pot of cockscomb flowers, 5 types of fruits (including a coconut)
3 plates of sticky rice
3 bowls of sweet soup
3 cups of water
2 candles
2 pieces of gold and silver ingots
3 incense sticks
Betel and areca nuts
Money in a string (1 stack)
A box of dragon and phoenix incense (or beautifully curled incense), etc.

Depending on the scale of the business, the offering can be simpler, but these items are essential.

A pot of flowers (you can use various types of flowers, preferably cockscomb flowers or money plant flowers).
A plate of five types of fruits.
3 plates of sticky rice, 3 bowls of sweet soup, 3 cups of water, 2 candles, betel and areca nuts, and a set of gold and silver paper offerings for the grand opening (you can buy these at some grocery stores, where they will prepare the set for you). If you are performing the ceremony in a company and are not allowed to burn paper offerings, simply light the incense.
A boiled chicken, a pig’s head, or a roasted pig, depending on your conditions or the scale of your business.

REFERENCE FOR COMBO OFFERING SETS

Combo 1	Combo 2	Combo 3
A plate of five types of fruits	A plate of five types of fruits	A plate of five types of fruits
1 bouquet of cockscomb flowers	1 bouquet of cockscomb flowers	1 bouquet of cockscomb flowers
1 bundle of cinnamon incense	1 bundle of cinnamon incense	1 bundle of cinnamon incense
2 candle holders	2 candle holders	2 candle holders
Rice	Rice	Rice
Salt	Salt	Salt
1 bottle of new glutinous rice wine	1 bottle of new glutinous rice wine	1 bottle of new glutinous rice wine
1 bottle of ceremonial water	1 bottle of ceremonial water	1 bottle of ceremonial water
Snacks, candies, rice crackers, etc.	Snacks, candies, rice crackers, etc.	Snacks, candies, rice crackers, etc.
Rock sugar	Rock sugar	Rock sugar
Sugarcane, star fruit, guava, beans, sweet potatoes, etc.	Sugarcane, star fruit, guava, beans, sweet potatoes, etc.	Sugarcane, star fruit, guava, beans, sweet potatoes, etc.
6 bowls of white bean sweet soup	6 bowls of white bean sweet soup	6 bowls of white bean sweet soup
6 portions of sticky rice with gac and mung beans	6 portions of sticky rice with gac and mung beans	6 portions of sticky rice with gac and mung beans
6 bowls of plain porridge	6 bowls of plain porridge	6 bowls of plain porridge
1 boiled chicken	1 boiled chicken	1 suckling pig
1 set of gold and silver paper offerings for the grand opening	1 set of sliced roasted pig	6 cans of Tiger beer
1 plate of rice vermicelli or bread	1 plate of rice vermicelli or bread	1 plate of rice vermicelli or bread
1 set of gold and silver paper offerings for the grand opening	1 set of gold and silver paper offerings for the grand opening

Further reference: Check out these unique, creative, and meaningful business names

How to Perform the Grand Opening Ceremony at the Beginning of the Year

How to perform the grand opening ceremony at the beginning of the year.

Arrange the offerings on a large table placed in front of the company’s entrance. When the auspicious time arrives, light the candles and incense, then bow three times and recite the prayer provided below.

After the incense has burned out, bow three times again to thank the deities, then take the paper offerings outside to burn. After they are completely burned, the grand opening ceremony is considered complete. You can then invite guests into your store. Choosing a person with a compatible age to be your first customer will also bring good luck and fortune to your store or company.

Further reference: Housewarming Ceremony: Prayer and Procedures for a Prosperous Year

Prayer for the Grand Opening Ceremony at the Beginning of the Year

Read the prayer for the grand opening ceremony at the beginning of the year.

The prayer for the grand opening ceremony at the beginning of the year is a solemn request to the deities, the Earth God, and other higher beings for their blessings and protection for a prosperous business. As the ancients said, “what starts well, ends well”, so if the grand opening ceremony goes smoothly and follows the principles of Feng Shui, the business will surely thrive and encounter no obstacles.

The following is a commonly used prayer for the grand opening ceremony:

– I bow to the Nine Heavens, the Ten Directions, and the Ten Directional Buddhas.

– I respectfully bow to the Deity of the Year, the Honorable Tai Sui.

– I respectfully bow to the City God and the Deities of the Five Directions.

– I respectfully bow to the Deities of the Five Elements, the Dragon Vein, the God of Wealth, the Kitchen God, and all other Deities.
– I respectfully bow to the Spirits who preside over this area.

My name is:……………………………………….

Today is the … day of the … month of the … year. I have sincerely prepared these offerings: betel, areca nuts, incense, flowers, fruits, a cup of tea, and a cup of wine. I now light a stick of incense and sincerely pray: I have built (or rented) a shop at this location (address) …… (if it is a company or factory, pray as follows: I am the director or leader of this company, along with all the employees). Today, we are holding a grand opening ceremony to start our business (or production) to serve the people and their livelihoods. Therefore, we have chosen an auspicious day and prepared these offerings to present to the Hundred Spirits……. We humbly ask for your blessings.

We respectfully invite the Deity of the Year, the City God, the Earth God, the Kitchen God, the Dragon Vein Deity, and all the Spirits who preside over this area to descend upon this altar and accept our offerings. We also invite the Spirits of the land and our ancestors, as well as all the Spirits who reside in this area, to come and enjoy these offerings and bless us so that our business will be prosperous and successful, and all our wishes will come true.

Our offerings may be simple, but our sincerity is profound. We respectfully invite you to accept our offerings and bless us.

Who Should Perform the Ceremony, Light the Incense, and Recite the Prayer?

For family-owned businesses, the head of the family will perform the ceremony, light the incense, and recite the prayer.
For stores or companies, the owner, director, or manager will perform the ceremony and recite the prayer, along with all the employees.

Note: If the current year is inauspicious for the person performing the ceremony, they can perform the ceremony together with someone whose age is compatible, bringing luck and fortune for the new year.

Further reference: Grand Opening Ceremony for Stores and Companies

3Things to Keep in Mind When Performing the Grand Opening Ceremony for a Store

Prepare all the necessary items, such as offerings and prayers.

The grand opening ceremony should be performed outdoors

Since the grand opening ceremony is a ritual to inform and seek permission from the deities of the place, usually the Earth God and the City God,

Frequently asked questions

There are several rituals and practices one can adopt to bring prosperity and success in the upcoming year. These include performing a thorough cleaning of your space, paying off debts and starting savings, setting clear goals and intentions, creating a vision board, and practicing gratitude and generosity.

Clearing out clutter and thoroughly cleaning your space symbolizes a fresh start and creates a positive energy flow. It helps remove any stagnant or negative energy from the previous year, making way for new opportunities and abundance.

A vision board is a powerful tool to visualize your goals and dreams. Gather images and words that represent your desires and aspirations for the new year, and arrange them on a board. Place it somewhere you can see it daily, as this constant visual reminder will help keep your intentions clear and focused, attracting positive energy and opportunities towards you.

Setting clear and specific goals gives you a sense of direction and focus. It helps you prioritize your efforts and create a plan to achieve your desires. Intentions are the driving force behind your actions, so taking the time to set them clearly will ensure your year is guided by purpose and meaning.

Starting the year debt-free reduces stress and creates a sense of financial freedom. It gives you a clean slate to build upon and encourages a responsible and prosperous mindset. Additionally, starting a savings plan, no matter how small, fosters a sense of security and abundance, attracting more financial prosperity your way.

Gratitude helps shift your focus to the positive aspects of your life, attracting more things to be grateful for. It opens your heart to abundance and blesses your life with more to share. Generosity creates a flow of giving and receiving, ensuring a constant cycle of prosperity throughout the year.