Known as Tet Nguyen Dan, the Lunar New Year has long been a vital traditional holiday in Vietnam. Not only an occasion when Vietnamese families spend time reuniting & honoring their ancestors, Lunar New Year celebration is a splendid tapestry of traditions, feasts, and cultural rituals.
Despite the official celebration lasting 5-7 days, if you arrive in Vietnam one month earlier, you will undoubtedly sense the Tet atmosphere seeping into every nook and cranny, from the right to the left and to the center. For those keen on learning the manners and customs of this country, there is no better opportunity than to engage in the festivities of Tet.
Written by Trang Nguyen (Local Expert)
Updated on Sep 16, 2025
2 comments
Trang Nguyen has lived in Vietnam for nearly three decades and spent much of her life exploring Asia. She has joined numerous field trips, stayed with ethnic communities in the northern mountains, and gained deep insights into local cultures and landscapes. Her writing reflects an honest passion for authentic travel and meaningful connections. If you have any questions about her journeys, feel free to reach out and leave a comment!
Tet Nguyen Dan, or the Lunar New Year, is the biggest and most dedicated festival of the Vietnamese. In Sino-Vietnamese, the term “Tet” finds its roots in '節' (weather), which means the changing of seasons from spring to summer, autumn, and winter. “Nguyen” signifies the beginning, and “Dan” refers to the early morning. Thus, “Tet Nguyen Dan” translates to the first morning of a lunar year.
Vietnam's Lunar New Year is calculated according to the lunar calendar. Since this calendar is a calendar based on the moon's cycle, the Lunar New Year is later than New Year's Day, and usually falls around the end of January to mid-February. In 2026, the most significant holiday in Vietnam will last for nine days, from February 17 to February 26, 2026, providing a full week of consecutive days off.
Tet used to signify a new cycle of wet rice cultivation for farmers, praying for a year of good weather and abundant crops. But nowadays, it brings about a more profound meaning: a "renew" day, a day where people can hope for a peaceful, prosperous, and favorable new year throughout the year and put aside all the unlucky things in the old year.
Vietnamese preparing for traditional Tet
As the Tet holiday of 2026 is around the corner, the preparations are underway weeks in advance of the holiday itself. People buy new clothes, style their hair, cook feasts, and acquire new accessories or furniture to decorate their houses.
They also purchase delicious biscuits and sweets to set the best table for incoming guests. Trade flourishes during these days, especially in the ornamental plants market, which becomes more bustling than ever.
How do Vietnamese prepare for Tet?
Preparations for Tet Holiday 2026 begin on the 23rd day of the twelfth lunar month with the The Kitchen Gods Ceremony. The Kitchen God, Earth God, and Goddess of Shopping ascend to Heaven to report on the family’s past year to the Jade Emperor and seek blessings of luck, health, and prosperity for the year ahead. They return on New Year’s Eve to welcome the family into the new year.
Preparations for Tet Holiday 2026 begin on the 23rd day of the twelfth lunar month
The Feast and Offerings
Families prepare offerings, including three live or paper carp - symbolizing strength and perseverance - as transport for the gods. The carp are released into ponds or rivers after the ceremony. Paper garments, hats, and boots, along with silver-shaped votive items, are also burned to honor them.
Traditional dishes are placed on the family altar to honor ancestors and deities, accompanied by prayers for a prosperous Tet Holiday. After the ceremony, joss paper are burned, and the carp are set free, symbolizing renewal and good fortune.
Joss paper are burned
This cherished ritual reflects Vietnamese spirituality and tradition, uniting families in hope and celebration for the Lunar New Year.
Traditional dishes and votive objects are placed on the altar to celebrate the deities
The next preparation for Tet
What kinds of ornamental plants do the Vietnamese favor? The answer is kumquat trees and peach blossoms. Every house, every office will place at least one beautiful plant in a noticeable position, not only to adorn the view but also to subtly indicate that “Spring is coming.” All streets, markets, restaurants, and shops are embellished with the vivid colors of red and yellow ornaments, or pink and orange from trees on the back of every motorbike when Tet arrives.
How do Vietnamese prepare for Tet?
Nevertheless, the Vietnamese never leave their trees plain for the Tet holiday. All housewives and children are eager to buy ornaments and decorations for the tree. Those could be in the form of New Year’s dangling wishes, or stickers featuring illustrations of the animal that represents the year, along with mini flickering lights. Each year is symbolized by an animal in a 12-year cycle, including Rat, Buffalo, Tiger, Cat, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and Pig.
Vietnamese shopping for traditional Tet
In 2026, the Vietnamese New Year will be marked by the Year of the Snake, an astrological sign associated with wisdom, adaptability, and resilience. In Eastern cultures, the Snake is also a powerful symbol of transformation, representing rebirth, renewal, and the shedding of old ways in favor of new beginnings.
Tet officially takes place as the fireworks sparkle above the sky, and adults perform their ritual offerings to their ancestors. On the very first morning following New Year’s Eve, after giving nice wishes to older family members, children will receive beautiful lì xì (lucky money - in red envelopes), containing coins in even denominations or money with eye-pleasing series numbers. Red is a special color that holds special significance and is considered a ward against negative spirits in Vietnamese belief, meanwhile, odd numbers are associated with bad luck.
New clothes are worn, and people stock their kitchens with Chung cake, Tet cake, and other delicious food, then observe various other customs, all symbolizing the hope for the positive things that lie ahead with the upcoming spring.
Li Xi is given to younger and children to wish them a better success, health and luck in the new year
People avoid arguments or any negative behaviors, treat each other with kindness, and make visits to their relatives or neighbors, asking after their health with the best New Year’s greetings. You can be a part of this tradition by learning some wishing phrases with pronunciation for non-native speakers that we’ve prepared below.
To make your experience even more lavish, join the Vietnamese to go to the pagodas and temples. Here, they pray for a bounteous harvest and set the stage for their business or achieve impressive goals for the next year.
Prayer on New Year's Eve
Once the fireworks end, people head to Buddhist pagodas and temples to pray for good fortune. Many buy symbolic items like sugar cane and salt. Sugar cane represents family reunion, connecting the living and their ancestors, while salt symbolizes the sea, a source of unlimited wealth. By bringing these items home, Vietnamese families hope for a joyful and prosperous new year.
Once the fireworks end, people head to Buddhist pagodas and temples to pray for good fortune
The “First-foot” Custom
The first day of the new year is considered crucial, as it sets the tone for the months ahead. The first person to enter the house, or “first guest,” is often chosen carefully in advance. Families select someone whose zodiac sign aligns with good fortune for the coming year—typically a kind, cheerful, and honest person. This guest, often arriving shortly after midnight, brings small gifts to wish happiness and prosperity to the household.
The first day of the new year is considered crucial, as it sets the tone for the months ahead
If you want to "first foot" (xông đất) a home for the Lunar New Year, you can either be invited by the host or kindly let them know if your zodiac sign and age are considered beneficial for the year. Here is a simplified table of God of Wealth (zodiac signs believed to attract prosperity) and Benefactors (zodiac signs bringing support and luck) based on birth years:
These traditions reflect the Vietnamese people's deep-rooted belief in harmony, luck, and renewal as they welcome the Lunar New Year.
Besides the sacred customs of Tet, Vietnamese people also celebrate Tet and enjoy spring with lots of joyful and healthy festivities such as wrestling, swinging, boating, buffalo fighting, and many other folk games.
Tug of war is a folk game that is practiced at a number of traditional festivals and community events
Some of New Year’s Greetings and Wishes
As the 2026 Tet holiday is approaching and everyone celebrates the fresh beginnings a new year brings, we believe all of the greetings will allow your goodwill and best intentions to shine through regardless of language.
If you’re interested in Vietnamese culture, you might find those warm words a bridge to foster the global spirit of community, as well as to show respect towards the tradition and optimism for days ahead and share.
And here, we got a little help for your good intentions! Check out our collection of friendly phrases commonly used by Vietnamese to wish others well as the Tet Holiday kicks off for a warm start:
Chúc Mừng Năm Mới: (pronounced: chook moong nahm moy)
Meaning: Happy New Year, Happy Tet
Vạn Sự Như Ý: (pronounced: vahn soo nyu ee)
Meaning: May all your wishes come true
An Khang Thịnh Vượng: (pronounced: an khang ting vuong)
Meaning: Security, good health, and prosperity
Sức Khỏe Dồi Dào: (pronounced: sook kwee doy dao)
Meaning: Abundant health
Tiền Vào Như Nước: (pronounced: tee-en vao nyu nook)
Meaning: May money flow in like water
Chúc Hay Ăn Chóng Lớn: (pronounced: chook high aan chong lon)
Are you seeking for 2026's Tet Holiday events but don’t know where to start? No worries, as we've got you covered with diverse options and details on things to do in both Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi.
Imperial Citadel of Thang Long, Hanoi, a UNESCO heritage
Here you will have the chance to experience the rich cultural festivities that unfold every year on the first day of Tet at this must-visit spot. Annually, on the first day of Tet Nguyen Dan, if you visit this place, you will have the best chances to partake in various cultural festivities, including the ceremonial offering of incense to ancestral kings and officials with amazing folk music performances and water puppet shows.
Incense offering ceremony to open the first quarter of the year
TET Markets, Festivals for the 2026 Tet Holiday in HCMC and Hanoi
Tons of markets and festivals will be held on these upcoming days, serving increasing Tet shopping demands. Depending on where you’re located, you can come across several Tet markets like:
The 2026 Tet Festival, which is scheduled for January 29 at Nguyen Hue Street, HCMC, includes numerous community cultural activities, exhibitions, cooking demonstrations, and art shows.
One of the most prominent festivals in HCMC is Tet Festival
Hanoi’s Hang Ma Street in the Old Quarter will also leave you with an unforgettable memory of the allure of Vietnamese Tet. Don’t forget to get yourself some paper decorations and toys!
Hanoi's Hang Ma Street dyed red ahead Tet festival
Step back in time to Old Vietnam in Co Lam Village, Hanoi
The 'Vietnamese Village Tet' 2026 program is organized to contribute to promoting the nation's traditional cultural values, creating a beautiful image of the Duong Lam-Son Tay tourist destination for international friends. That’s why it will undoubtedly be one of the greatest events you've ever joined.
Trust us, you won’t want to miss the chance to experience many unique cultural features such as wrapping banh chung and banh tet, practicing traditional calligraphy, and releasing carp,... all part of the annual Tet program.
Co Lam Village charms tourists with traditional Tet
What happens after the end of Tet in Vietnam?
Tet ends when votive papers are burned and offerings are removed from the altars to be shared with all family members. This is the right time for people to travel and participate in festivals organized across the country...
Folk games during Tet
>>> To better prepare your trip to Vietnam near Tet:
Tet is the peak travel season since every place receives a huge transportation load, so please plan your accommodations & commuting well in advance. In big cities, buses are still running so you can catch them or get Grab to travel around.
Many businesses close during Tet, including shops and restaurants, and they may close for numerous days. Stock up on essentials in advance and plan other activities accordingly.
The travel demand during Tet is often higher than normal days
Try Tet Specialties:
Don’t sleep on Vietnamese traditional Tet dishes, including favorites like Bánh Chưng (square sticky rice cake), Bánh Tét, pickled vegetables, deep-fried spring rolls, caramelized pork and eggs, and a delightful array of festive treats such as Mứt (candied fruit), biscuits, and traditional sweets.
Explore your nearest local markets to enjoy the authentic taste of these delights that make Tet a truly special time in Vietnam.
Tet Traditional Food
Dress Appropriately:
Remember to avoid dressing in short or revealing clothes when visiting temples or engaging in other cultural events.
Although Tet’s in the spring, please be prepared for different weather conditions like the cold and heavy drizzle.
Tourists in Hoi An
Be Patient with Crowds:
Since everyone is going out these days, there will be larger crowds at popular tourist spots and transportation hubs during Tet.
Be patient and don’t get disappointed because of extra time for travel.
Follow Fireworks Safety Guidelines:
Tet is often associated with loud firecrackers and music.
If you plan to enjoy fireworks, please enjoy the showcase in designated areas and follow safety guidelines to ensure joyful and safe festive days.
If you plan to purchase fireworks, please respect local laws regarding their usage.
Tourists have the chance to partake in traditional activities
Conclusion
Remember, Tet is not just a holiday; it's an opportunity to share in the joy, warmth, optimism and love of Vietnamese culture. So, travelers, plan ahead with us, make the most of the festive spirit and this extraordinary journey during this 2026 Tet holiday. May your Tet be filled with unforgettable moments, lots of red envelopes, cultural discoveries, and the joy of new beginnings of 2026. Our guide is always here to ensure you make the most of this joyous celebration in Vietnam.
Chúc mừng năm mới! (Happy New Year!)
Tourists take part in the Spring Festival as calligraphers
I was packing up for a 2-week tour in March 2024 around Vietnam, is it possible? Please help me with your suggestions
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Kampá Tour26 Feb 2024
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Absolutely! A two-week tour around Vietnam in March 2024 sounds like an incredible adventure! So why not take a look at our comprehensive itinerary that you might find interesting: Vietnam 2-Week Itinerary? Feel free to explore it, and if you have any further questions or need personalized recommendations, please don't hesitate to reach out!