All the rituals and accouterments, the food and the festivities, the flowers and decorations – it is evident that Tet is in the air.
The festive atmosphere is heightened after the 23rd of the 12th lunar month when the ceremony is held to bid farewell the three kitchen guardians, the God of Kitchen, for each house, who return to heaven for filing their annual report to the Jade Emperor about events that occurred in that house over the past year.
On the 25th day of the twelfth month, peach, apricot and chrysanthemum blossoms and kumquat plants laden with the fruit are brought into the capital city from the famous flower growing villages Quang Ba, Nhat Tan, Ngoc Ha and Vinh Tuy.
These are displayed in the thousands at the flower markets in Hang Luoc and Hang Dau streets, bringing the manna of spring to each household and alley.
Many Hanoians now prefer the wild apricot blossoms of the northern mountainous province of Tay Bac and carefully trimmed bonsai plants.
One unforgettable part of the Tet experience is the fragrance of sawtooth coriander. After the fifteen day of the twelfth month, bicycles heaped up with the herb can be found in every corner of Hanoi.
On the afternoon of the Lunar New Year’s Eve, after cooking all the dishes for the festival, water is boiled with these herbs for everyone to take their bath with. It is said to wash away bad luck of the past year, enabling us to welcome the New Year with a peaceful mind.
Street vendors carry arrowroot leaves and bamboo string used to make banh chung, the square rice cake that is a traditional Tet dish in northern Vietnam that is offered in homage to the spirits and deceased ancestors. Made of glutinous rice, pork and green bean paste, it is wrapped in a square of “Dong” (arrowroot) leaves and tied with bamboo string.
Making the banh chung used to a communal activity not too long ago. However, the sight of grandparents, parents and children clustered together to make this special cake, the sound of crackling fire and the gurgling of boiling water – these have become a thing of the past, and regrettably so.
When the country experienced the subsidy period after the end of the war more than three decades ago, rice, fruits, vegetables, flowers – none of these were in abundance, but people got together a lot more and did many more things together, especially during the Tet festival. And that atmosphere had a special festive cheer and special happiness that is sadly missing today.
Things are much changed these days. As dawn breaks, vendors hawk goods through all corners of streets in Hanoi, and people are spoilt for choice. Some people are so busy nowadays that they can only shop for dishes on the last day of the year.
One cannot help sympathizing with farmers who work hard to grow rice, fruits and vegetables, and sell them in the cold weather, but receive very little money because they have to sell them at cheap prices to be able to return soon to their hometowns and villages for a family reunion by the hallowed last day of the year.
With residents no longer working hard to prepare traditional dishes, or spending as much time on other festival-related activities, those who have experienced Tet in the old days are filled with longing for an atmosphere that has all but disappeared.
Times have changed, but there are some things that are worth remembering, treasuring and even, bringing back, to the extent possible.
