Tet 2025: Vietnam Lunar New Year Guide
Celebrate Tet Nguyen Dan, Vietnam Lunar New Year, with family reunions, banh chung, lucky money, and vibrant traditions.
Tet Nguyen Dan: Vietnam's Most Sacred Celebration
Tet Nguyen Dan (Tết Nguyên Đán)—simply "Tet"—marks Vietnam's Lunar New Year and stands as the nation's most important holiday. For one week, the country transforms: cities empty as 95% of Vietnamese return to ancestral hometowns, streets bloom with yellow mai and pink dao blossoms, and families gather to honor ancestors, share elaborate meals, and welcome spring's arrival with hope and reverence.
"Tet is the soul of Vietnamese culture," explains Dr. Nguyen Van Huy, former director of the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology. "It's when our scattered families reunite, our ancestors receive our respects, and we collectively reset for the new year. Everything else stops—business, conflict, routine—while the nation focuses on family and spiritual renewal."
Tet 2025 Key Dates
| Date | Event | Significance |
|---|---|---|
| January 22-28 | Pre-Tet week | Shopping, cleaning, preparations |
| January 28 (Tet Eve) | Tất Niên (Farewell dinner) | Family reunion meal |
| January 29 | Mùng 1 Tết (New Year's Day) | Year of the Snake begins |
| January 30 | Mùng 2 Tết | Visiting maternal family |
| January 31 | Mùng 3 Tết | Visiting teachers, friends |
| February 1-4 | Mùng 4-7 | Extended celebrations |
| February 12 | Tết Nguyên Tiêu | Lantern Festival (15th day) |
Official Holiday: January 28 - February 2, 2025 (6 days)
Year of the Snake (2025)
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Animal | Snake (Tỵ) |
| Element | Wood |
| Characteristics | Wisdom, intuition, elegance |
| Lucky colors | Black, red, yellow |
| Lucky numbers | 2, 8, 9 |
| Compatible signs | Ox, Rooster |
Pre-Tet Preparations
The weeks before Tet witness Vietnam's most intensive domestic activity:
Cleaning Traditions
| Task | Timing | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Deep cleaning | 1-2 weeks before | Remove old year's dust/bad luck |
| Repair and painting | 2-4 weeks before | Fresh start |
| Debt settlement | Before Tet Eve | Clear obligations |
| Haircuts | Before Tet | Fresh appearance |
| Kitchen God ceremony | Dec 23 (lunar) | Send report to heaven |
"We say 'don't sweep on Tet' because you might sweep away good luck. So the house must be immaculate before midnight of New Year's Eve." — Home & Garden Vietnam editor Minh Thu.
Shopping Season
| Category | Popular Items | Price Range (VND) |
|---|---|---|
| Flowers | Mai (South), Đào (North), kumquats | 500,000-10,000,000 |
| Food | Bánh chưng, mứt, giò | 300,000-2,000,000 |
| Clothes | New outfits for family | 500,000-5,000,000 |
| Decorations | Red lanterns, câu đối scrolls | 100,000-500,000 |
| Lucky money envelopes | Red packets (lì xì) | 50,000-200,000/pack |
Where to Shop
| City | Market | Known For |
|---|---|---|
| Hanoi | Hang Ma Street | Decorations, red goods |
| Hanoi | Quang Ba Flower Market | Flowers (pre-dawn) |
| HCMC | Cho Binh Tay | Wholesale goods |
| HCMC | Nguyen Hue Flower Street | Photo opportunities |
| Hue | Dong Ba Market | Traditional items |
Traditional Decorations
North vs. South
| Element | North | South |
|---|---|---|
| Main flower | Đào (peach blossom) - pink | Mai (apricot blossom) - yellow |
| Climate | Cold winter, flowers rare | Warm, abundant blooms |
| Symbol | Delicate beauty | Prosperity, sunshine |
Essential Decorations
| Item | Significance | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Cây mai/đào | Main tree, prosperity | 500,000-5,000,000 VND |
| Cây quất (kumquat) | Abundance of fruit | 300,000-3,000,000 VND |
| Mâm ngũ quả (five-fruit tray) | Five elements, blessings | 200,000-500,000 VND |
| Câu đối (parallel scrolls) | Wishes, poetry | 50,000-300,000 VND |
| Red lanterns | Joy, celebration | 30,000-200,000 VND |
Five-Fruit Tray (Mâm Ngũ Quả)
A carefully arranged tray with symbolic meanings:
Tet Foods: Culinary Traditions
Essential Dishes
| Dish | Description | Region | Preparation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bánh chưng | Square sticky rice cake | North | 10-12 hours boiling |
| Bánh tét | Cylindrical sticky rice cake | South | 10-12 hours boiling |
| Thịt kho tàu | Caramelized pork with eggs | South | Several hours braising |
| Thịt đông | Jellied meat | North | Refrigerated |
| Giò chả | Vietnamese ham/sausage | Both | Purchase or homemade |
| Dưa hành | Pickled scallions | North | Fermented days ahead |
| Củ kiệu | Pickled small leeks | South | Fermented days ahead |
| Mứt Tết | Candied fruits | Both | Days of preparation |
Bánh Chưng: The Heart of Tet
This square cake (representing Earth) contains:
"Making bánh chưng is the year's most important family activity," shares Hanoi food blogger Linh Nguyen. "Grandparents teach techniques, children help wrap, and everyone stays up through the night tending the fire. The cake is simple, but the process builds family bonds."
Costs for Home Tet Cooking
| Item | Quantity | Price (VND) |
|---|---|---|
| Bánh chưng (homemade, 10) | Ingredients | 500,000 |
| Bánh chưng (purchased) | Per cake | 80,000-200,000 |
| Thịt kho (pork belly) | 2 kg | 300,000 |
| Giò chả | 1 kg | 200,000-400,000 |
| Mứt varieties | Assorted | 300,000-500,000 |
Lucky Money (Lì Xì)
The tradition of giving red envelopes to children and elders:
Giving Guidelines
| Recipient | Appropriate Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Young children | 20,000-50,000 VND | First lì xì of the year |
| Older children | 50,000-200,000 VND | Varies by closeness |
| Teenagers | 100,000-500,000 VND | From adult relatives |
| Elderly parents | 500,000-2,000,000 VND | Children give to parents |
| Service workers | 50,000-100,000 VND | Building staff, regular vendors |
Lì Xì Etiquette
Xông Đất: The First Visitor
The first person to enter a home after midnight determines the family's luck for the year:
Ideal First Visitor
"Many families pre-arrange their xông đất—inviting a lucky friend to arrive just after midnight. It's taken seriously; an unlucky first visitor could explain a difficult year." — Cultural researcher Dr. Tran Van Tan
Experiencing Tet as a Visitor
What's Open and Closed
| Category | Status During Tet |
|---|---|
| Businesses | Mostly closed Mùng 1-3 |
| Restaurants | Tourist areas partial, others closed |
| Tourist sites | Open (Mùng 2 onwards) |
| Markets | Traditional markets closed, some supermarkets open |
| Public transport | Reduced schedules |
| Domestic flights | Full capacity, expensive |
Best Places to Experience Tet
| Location | Experience | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hanoi Old Quarter | Traditional atmosphere | Authentic, photogenic | Very crowded |
| HCMC (District 1) | Modern celebration | More open venues | Less traditional |
| Hoi An | Ancient town charm | Lanterns, decorations | Tourist-heavy |
| Hue | Imperial traditions | Historical depth | Fewer activities |
| Rural villages | Authentic family Tet | Real experience | Requires invitation |
| Sapa | Highland minorities | Unique customs | Cold, remote |
Nguyen Hue Flower Street (HCMC)
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Location | Nguyen Hue Walking Street |
| Dates | ~1 week before through Mùng 3 |
| Theme | Changes yearly |
| Best time | Evening for lights, early morning for photos |
| Cost | Free |
Travel Considerations
Domestic Travel During Tet
| Route | Normal Price | Tet Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| HCMC-Hanoi (flight) | 1,500,000 VND | 4,000,000+ VND | Book 2+ months ahead |
| HCMC-Mekong Delta (bus) | 150,000 VND | 300,000 VND | Extremely crowded |
| Train tickets | Normal | 150-200% markup | Sell out weeks ahead |
| Long-distance bus | Normal | 200-300% | Book through official stations |
Accommodation
| Timing | Urban Hotels | Homestays |
|---|---|---|
| Before Tet | Normal prices | Normal |
| Tet Eve - Mùng 3 | 50% discounted (empty) | Family-focused, less available |
| Mùng 4 onwards | Returning to normal | Limited |
"Paradoxically, Hanoi and HCMC are ghost towns during Tet—everyone has left. Hotels offer deep discounts, but restaurants and services are scarce. The action is in smaller towns and villages." — Vietnam travel writer Mark Wiens
Tet Etiquette for Foreigners
Do's
Don'ts
Useful Phrases
| Vietnamese | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Chúc Mừng Năm Mới | Chook Mung Nahm Moy | Happy New Year |
| Năm mới bình an | Nahm Moy Bing Ahn | Peaceful New Year |
| Chúc sức khỏe | Chook Sook Kweh | Good health wishes |
| Cảm ơn | Gam Un | Thank you |
The Meaning of Tet
Tet embodies Vietnamese values: family reverence, ancestor worship, fresh beginnings, and communal harmony. The expense, effort, and travel that Vietnamese undertake—often spending a month's salary on Tet preparations—reflects the celebration's irreplaceable cultural weight.
"For overseas Vietnamese, Tet is the thread connecting us to identity," reflects Vietnamese-American writer Viet Thanh Nguyen. "The flavors, the rituals, the gatherings—they remind us who we are and where we come from, no matter how far we've traveled."
As fireworks illuminate Vietnamese skies at midnight on January 29, 2025, the Year of the Snake begins with a nation united in hope, gratitude, and the eternal human wish for prosperity and peace in the year ahead.
