CULTURE-SPORTS-TOURISM
The Lunar New Year is an occasion of convergence of traditional culture more than any other occasion of the year. However, it is difficult to avoid being caught up in the changes of modern society.
We are living in the midst of an era of innovation, entering a digital era where people gradually replace old things with new ones to catch up with the trends of society's development. One of the most obvious changes is the way to celebrate Tet. In the early days of the New Year, let's take a moment to see how the old Tet and the present Tet have changed.
The story of Tet shopping
Every December, the roads from the countryside to the city are crowded with people shopping for Tet. From peach blossom branches, apricot pots, and kumquat trees to "dong" leaves with a bunch of "lat" to wrap "Banh Chung".
In the traditional Tet, people always spend longer in the hustle and bustle of the streets to choose the best and most beautiful things for Tet display, so that the whole family can welcome the first day of the New Year as well as possible. In the past, everyone hustled to carefully choose for themselves the peach blossom branches with the most buds, which signified the bringing of good fortune.
Everything for Tet could be bought at the market. That's why the Tet market in the past was something exciting and long-lasting in everyone's memories.
The new year was so cozy and sacred when the whole family gathered around a huge pot of green chung cake and red fire Photo: VNexpress
Nowadays, shopping for Tet is different; people just need to sit at home to order things from online stores, and the goods are also delivered to their doors. However, in every house, it is still indispensable to have peach blossom branches, apricot branches, or kumquat pots. Sometimes, people like to experience new things with bonsai pots or pots of orchids, white apricots, or forest peach blossoms... It is possible to argue that trees and flowers are essential links between the past and the present Tet.
In the past, children eagerly watched their grandparents and parents make "Banh Chung." In the evening, they enjoyed looking after the pot of "Banh Chung" on the fire and conveniently grilled a few potatoes to eat against hunger. Back in the day, right from the beginning of the year, each family raised a pig to celebrate Tet. At the end of the year, they caught and used the pig to make lean pork pie to welcome Tet. These days, "Banh Chung" and "Banh Tet" are sold all year round, and they can be bought at any time. The making of "Banh Chung" or "Banh Tet" is only to create the atmosphere of Tet and is not compulsory. Sometimes, families with few people order only a few "Banh Chung", but they still can’t eat it all by the end of Tet.
Nowadays, commercial centers, supermarkets, and many grocery stores are popping up everywhere, so people do not have to hustle and can comfortably buy many different items to celebrate Tet.
The custom of getting good fortune at the beginning of the year
Traditional Tet always has the custom of seeking good fortune at the beginning of the year.
The first moments of the New Year are sacred moments, so people always do good deeds to bring good things.
For example, on New Year's Eve, firecrackers are lit to celebrate the New Year; picking buds to bring home good luck; first footing at the beginning of the year to bring the good luck of successful people, penning a piece on first day of New Year for luck in education, and career, etc.
These days, on the night of New Year's Eve, many families take the opportunity to clean up and display a fruit tray to worship the ancestors, then conveniently watch the "Tao Quan" (Kitchen Gods) show before welcoming New Year's Eve. Many families go on a date outdoors to watch fireworks, sharing the New Year's atmosphere with people across the country.
In the past, children were eager to wear new clothes bought by their parents to go out for Tet. Nowadays, with higher living standards, clothes are bought all year round, not many people care about buying new clothes for Tet. Back in the day, red envelopes filled with love were carefully received by children with open arms. Now, the excitement and eagerness to receive the lucky money is more or less replaced by a disappointed look if the amount of money in the envelope is not as much as expected.
The lucky thing when receiving the red envelopes is the wish for good luck, peace, and dear smiles from the person celebrating the New Year. Now with modernization, e-wallets are widely used around the world, the transfer is instant, and people on the other side of the world can also receive lucky money.
The change of life entails a change in the flow of culture. Modern life is stressful with lots of pressure, and today's young people also choose a new and modern lifestyle that revolves around themselves more. Many people try to find a peaceful Tet, not wanting to be entangled in the worries, chaos, and busyness of Tet. Because modern life makes people more anxious and busy, there is not much time to prepare for Tet.
In recent years, the messages "Tet of sharing" and "Tet of love" have appeared more and more. It is sharing with industrial workers on their way back home, helping disadvantaged people in society, and giving gifts to bring a "warm Tet" to children in rural areas. In these last days of the year, many young people are busy collecting things to donate, so that ethnic minority children could have a warmer and more loving Tet. Many parents let their children go on a trip to the rural areas, combined with charity work to help poor children during Tet, to both enjoy Tet and educate their children. Looking at the nation's Tet customs, it can be seen that new values are forming when peaches blossom and Tet comes.
Life is always changing. In the past, there were many customs different from current ones. Many Tet customs will change over time, but the sustainable values that each person needs to aim for are the values of truth, goodness, and beauty. Therefore, people need to focus on the core values instead of the form, so that we are ready for interference from different cultures and ready to select, absorb, and integrate what is new and progressive.
Phuong Mai