Editing Tết (section)

==Customs==
 {{multiple image
| align             = center
| image1            = Cung tat nien.jpg
| caption1          = Tất Niên offering
| width1            = 267
| image2            = Phòng thờ cúng.jpg
| caption2          = A family altar in Vietnam
| width2            = 267
| image3            = Ancestors Altar or Gods Altar in Tet, North Vietnam.jpg
| caption3          = Altar to the ancestors
| width3            = 267
}}

Vietnamese people usually return to their families during Tết. Some return to worship at the family altar or visit the graves of their ancestors in their homeland. They also clear up the graves of their families as a sign of respect. Although Tết is a national holiday among all Vietnamese, each region and religion has its own customs.<ref name=":0" />

Many [[Vietnamese people|Vietnamese]] prepare for Tết by cooking special holiday food and doing house cleaning. These foods include {{lang|vi|[[bánh tét]]}}, {{lang|vi|[[bánh chưng]]}}, {{lang|vi|[[bánh giầy|bánh dày]]}}, {{lang|vi|canh khổ qua}}, {{lang|vi|[[thịt kho tàu|thịt kho hột vịt]]}}, dried young bamboo soup ({{lang|vi|[[canh chua|canh măng]]}}), {{lang|vi|[[chả lụa|giò]]}}, and [[xôi]] ([[glutinous rice|sticky rice]]). Many customs and traditions are practiced during Tết, such as visiting a person's house on the first day of the new year ({{lang|vi|xông nhà}}), [[ancestor veneration]], exchanging New Year's greetings, giving lucky money to children and elderly people, opening a shop, visiting relatives, friends, and neighbors.

Tết can be divided into three time periods, tất niên (celebrations before the end of the year), giao thừa (New Year's Eve), and năm mới (the New Year), representing the preparation before Tết, the eve of Tết, and the days of and following Tết, respectively.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Trang |first=Dang |date=2018-02-13 |title=Những điều cần tránh trong ngày Tết theo truyền thống Việt Nam |url=https://quatangletet.vn/nhung-dieu-kieng-ky-ngay-tet/ |url-status=bot: unknown |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230711070230/https://quatangletet.vn/nhung-dieu-kieng-ky-ngay-tet/ |archive-date=2023-07-11 |access-date=2022-02-12 |website=Quà Tặng Lễ Tết |language=en }}</ref>  <!-- All of these customs are to celebrate Tết in Vietnam. -->

===New Year in Tết===
[[Image:LiXi.jpg|thumb|293x293px|A red envelope decorations (lì xì)]]

The first day of Tết is reserved for the [[nuclear family]]. Children receive [[red envelope]]s containing money from their elders. This tradition is called "mừng tuổi" (happy age)<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.goexplorevietnam.com/vietnamese-new-year-traditions-custom-tet-holiday/ |title=Vietnamese New Year – Learn about the traditions and customs of the Tet Holiday |date=January 7, 2021 |website=Go Explore Vietnam |access-date=August 5, 2021}}</ref> in the North region and lì xì in the South region. Usually, children wear their new clothes and give their elders the traditional Tết greetings before receiving money. Wearing red clothing during Tết is common as it is associated with good luck. Since the Vietnamese believe that the first visitor who a family receives in the year determines their fortune for the entire year, people never enter any house on the first day without being invited first. The verb of being the first person to enter a house at Tết is xông đất, xông nhà, or đạp đất,<ref>{{Cite web |title=New Year in Vietnam - Everything You Need to Know |url=https://asiaprivatetravels.com/travel-guide/vietnam-travel-guides/new-year-in-vietnam-everything-you-need-to-know.html |access-date=2023-07-05 |website=asiaprivatetravels.com |language=en}}</ref> which is one of the most important customs during Tết. According to Vietnamese tradition, if good things come to a family on the first day of the lunar New Year, the entire following year will also be full of blessings. Usually, a person of good temper, morality, and success will be a lucky sign for the host family and be first invited into his house. However, just to be safe, the owner of the house will leave the house a few minutes before midnight and come back just as the clock strikes midnight to prevent anyone else from entering the house first who might potentially bring any unfortunate events in the new year to the household.<ref>{{cite book|last= |first= |author-link= Nguyễn Bích Hằng, Lê Thị Uyên, Thích Thanh Duệ|title=Việt Nam phong tục và lễ nghi cổ truyền |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=l2FQAQAAMAAJ&q=ch%E1%BB%A7+nh%C3%A0+t%E1%BB%B1+x%C3%B4ng+%C4%91%E1%BA%A5t|year= 2006|publisher= Văn hóa - thông tin |isbn=|pages=15|quote=}}</ref> This is a common practice done by many families. 

Sweeping during Tết is taboo, it is xui or rủi (unlucky), since it symbolizes sweeping the luck away; that is why they clean before the new year. It is also taboo for anyone who experienced a recent loss of a family member to visit anyone else during Tết.<ref>{{cite web |url= https://thanhnien.vn/7-dieu-kieng-ki-ngay-tet-de-ban-va-gia-dinh-may-man-ca-nam-185824062.htm|title= 7 điều 'kiêng kị ngày Tết' để bạn và gia đình may mắn cả năm|last= Vũ|first= Phượng|date= 6 February 2019|website= |publisher= Thanh Niên|access-date= |quote=}} </ref> 

It is important to retain harmony within the household during the first three days of Tết. Engaging in conflict, arguments, or exhibiting any feelings of anger and hatred may bring upon bad luck for the upcoming year. 

During subsequent days, people visit relatives and friends. Traditionally but not strictly, the second day of Tết is usually reserved for friends, while the third day is for teachers, who command respect in Vietnam. Students in Vietnam are usually given a one-week long break from school to celebrate Tết. Local [[Buddhism|Buddhist]] temples are popular spots because people like to give donations and get their fortunes told during Tết. Children are free to spend their new money on toys or on [[gambling]] games such as ''[[bau cua ca cop|bầu cua cá cọp]]'', which can be found in the streets. Prosperous families can pay for dragon dancers to perform at their house. Also, public performances are given for everyone to watch.<ref>{{cite web |url= https://tuoitre.vn/an-chua-trong-mua-rong-viet-nam-ngay-tet-1256428.htm|title= Múa rồng Việt ngày Tết ẩn chứa điều gì?|last= Hồ|first= Tường|date= 22 January 2017|website= |publisher= Tuổi Trẻ|access-date= |quote=}} </ref>

===Traditional celebrations===
These celebrations can last from a day up to the entire week, and the New Year is filled with people in the streets trying to make as much noise as possible using firecrackers, drums, bells, gongs, and anything they can think of to ward off evil spirits. This parade will also include different masks and dancers hidden under the guise of what is known as the ''múa lân ''or [[Lion dance#Vietnamese Lion|lion dancing]]. The ''lân'' is an animal between a lion and a dragon and is the symbol of strength in the Vietnamese culture that is used to scare away evil spirits. After the parade, families, and friends come together to have a feast of traditional Vietnamese dishes and share the happiness and joy of the New Year with one another. This is also the time when the elders will hand out red envelopes with money to the children for good luck in exchange for Tết greetings.<ref>Lucky money in tet. Vietnamese Culture and Tradition. https://www.vietnam-culture.com/lucky-money-in-tet/</ref>  

It is also a tradition to pay off debts before the Vietnamese New Year for some Vietnamese families.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-lunar-year-debt-20170126-story.html|title=Vietnamese prepare for Lunar New Year by paying off debts, a tradition that can often bring stress|last=Do|first=Anh|website=[[Los Angeles Times]]|date=28 January 2017|access-date=2017-01-28}}</ref>

===Decorations===
{{multiple image
| align             = center
| image1            = ĐHNH 2012 - Rồng Nhâm Thìn.JPG
| caption1          = Street decoration honouring the [[Dragon (zodiac)|Year of the Dragon]] (2012).
| width1            = 195
| image2            = Đèn kéo quân.jpg
| caption2          = New Year decoration in [[Ho Chi Minh City]].
| width2            = 267
| image3            = Ho_Chi_Minh_City_Tet_Decorations.jpg
| caption3          = Tết display on the streets of Ho Chi Minh City.
| width3            = 267
| image4            = Cây nêu 2.jpg
| width4            = 195
| caption4          = A [[cây nêu]] being hung at [[Long Sơn Temple]], [[Nha Trang]]
}}

Traditionally, each family displays ''[[cây nêu]]'', an artificial [[New Year tree]] consisting of a [[bamboo]] pole {{Convert|5-6|m|ft|abbr=on}} long. The top end is usually decorated with many objects, depending on the locality, including good luck charms, [[origami]] fish, cactus branches, and more.<ref>{{cite web |url= https://laodong.vn/van-hoa/tuc-trong-cay-neu-ngay-tet-1138246.ldo|title= Tục trồng cây nêu ngày Tết|last= Lý|first= Viết Trường|date= 15 January 2023|website= laodong.vn|publisher= Lao Động |access-date= |quote=}} </ref> 

At Tết, every house is usually decorated by [[Ochna integerrima|Yellow Apricot blossoms]] (''hoa mai'') in the central and southern parts of Vietnam, [[Peach|peach blossoms]] (''hoa đào'') in the northern part of Vietnam, or [[St. John's wort]] (''hoa ban'') in the mountain areas. In the north, some people (especially the elite in the past){{citation needed|date=August 2016}} also decorate their house with [[Prunus mume|plum blossoms]] (also called ''hoa mơ'' in Vietnamese but referring to a totally different species from mickey-mouse blossoms).<ref>{{cite web |url= https://laodong.vn/photo/mo-rung-tinh-khoi-tuyet-dep-vuot-hang-tram-cay-so-xuong-thu-do-don-tet-655816.ldo|title= Mơ rừng tinh khôi tuyệt đẹp vượt hàng trăm cây số xuống thủ đô đón Tết|last= |first= |date= February 2019|website= laodong.vn|publisher= Lao Động|access-date= |quote=}} </ref> In the north or central, the [[kumquat]] tree is a popular decoration for the living room during Tết. Its many fruits symbolize fertility and fruitfulness which the family hopes in the coming year.<ref>{{cite web |url= https://laodong.vn/xa-hoi/mot-so-loai-qua-thuong-dung-cho-mam-ngu-qua-ngay-tet-1000138.ldo|title=Một số loại quả thường dùng cho mâm ngũ quả ngày Tết  |last= |first= |date= 30 January 2022|website= laodong.vn|publisher= Lao Động|access-date= |quote=}} </ref> 

Vietnamese people also decorate their homes with [[Hòn non bộ]] and flowers such as [[chrysanthemums]] (''hoa cúc''), [[Tagetes|marigolds]] (''vạn thọ'') symbolizing longevity, [[Celosia|cockscombs]] (''mào gà'') in southern Vietnam, and [[Narcissus tazetta|paperwhites]] (''thủy tiên'') and [[orchid]]s (''hoa lan'') in northern Vietnam. In the past, there was a tradition where people tried to make their paperwhites bloom on the day of the observance.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://m.baodantoc.vn/huong-dan-cach-trong-hoa-thuy-tien-choi-tet-1640921669778.html|title= Hướng dẫn cách trồng hoa thủy tiên chơi tết|last= |first= |date= |website= baodantoc.vn|publisher= |access-date= |quote=}} </ref><ref>{{cite book|last= Tôn|first= Thảo Miên |author-link= |title=Nguyễn Tuân, về tác gia và tác phẩm |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=sHhkAAAAMAAJ&q=hoa+lan+v%C3%A0+hoa+th%E1%BB%A7y+ti%C3%AAn+ch%C6%A1i+t%E1%BA%BFt|year= 2000|publisher= Giáo dục|isbn=|pages=469|quote=}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last= |first= |author-link= |title=Bách khoa thư Hà Nội|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=ah9IAAAAMAAJ&q=ch%C6%A1i+hoa+lan+ng%C3%A0y+t%E1%BA%BFt|year= 2000|publisher= Từ điển bách khoa|isbn=|pages=214|quote=}}</ref> 

They also hung up [[Đông Hồ painting]]s and [[thư pháp]] [[calligraphy]] pictures.<ref>{{cite web |url= https://baoquangninh.vn/tranh-dong-ho-thu-vui-tao-nha-ngay-tet-cua-nguoi-viet-3171131.html|title= Tranh Đông Hồ- Thú vui tao nhã ngày Tết của người Việt|last= |first= |date= |website= baoquangninh.vn|publisher= |access-date= |quote=}} </ref><ref>{{cite book|last= |first= |author-link= Bộ Văn hóa|title=Nghiên cứu văn hóa nghệ thuật |date= 2004|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=DbDWAAAAMAAJ&q=th%C6%B0+ph%C3%A1p+ng%C3%A0y+t%E1%BA%BFt|publisher= Bộ Văn hóa|isbn=|pages=19|quote=}}</ref>  

{{multiple image
| align             = center
| image1            = Mâm Ngũ quả.jpg
| caption1          = ''Mâm ngũ quả'' (five fruits tray) are made for Tết, here is a ngũ quả consisting of bananas, oranges, tangerines, a [[pomelo]], and a pineapple
| width1            = 267
| image2            = Hoa dao.jpg
| caption2          = Peach blossoms (''hoa đào'')
| width2            = 267
| image3            = Hoa mai.jpg
| caption3          = Yellow Apricot blossoms (''hoa mai'')
| width3            = 101
| caption4          = ''Chúc mừng năm mới'' translates to "Happy New Year"
| width4            = 150
| image4            = Chúc_Mừng_Năm_Mới_banner.JPG
| image5            = Vinh hoa.JPG
| width5            = 150
| caption5          = [[Đông Hồ painting]]s are traditionally hung as decoration of Tết
}}