Dutch man cherishes Vietnam’s Tet for quiet atmosphere

“This year will be my tenth Tet in Vietnam,” he shared.

What surprised the father of a three-year-old daughter and an almost-two-year-old son most during his first Tet celebrations in Vietnam was how nearly everything shut down for the holiday.

“Even in a large city like Ho Chi Minh City, most small street-side shops are closed," he said.

“The city becomes unusually quiet and empty, which I actually enjoy more and more over time. 

"The air also seems noticeably cleaner during that week."

For foreign tourists who will celebrate Tet in Vietnam for the first time, bustling flower streets, famous landmarks, and crowded pagodas may be the main attraction during the holiday.

“However, after 11 years in Vietnam, I have treasured Tet for its calmness,” said the husband of a Vietnamese woman.

“I do not travel much during this time. Instead, it is the contrast between the usual vibrancy of Ho Chi Minh City and its rare stillness during Tet that makes the holiday especially meaningful to me.”

As he often spends time with his family during Tet, he never feels lonely.

“I sometimes meet with my friends from the expatriate community in Ho Chi Minh City, many of whom, like me, have lived in Vietnam for years," he said.

“We share similar experiences and enjoy reflecting on how Tet has become part of our lives."

Immersed in Vietnamese Tet

“During previous Tet celebrations, I mostly visited my wife’s family home in Hoc Mon, Ho Chi Minh City,” he stated.

One of his interesting experiences is joining his father-in-law for a ‘Vietnamese bar crawl.’

Instead of visiting bars, they go from one friend’s house to another's, having beers and food at each stop before moving on to the next house.

“This year, on Lunar New Year’s Eve, our family will gather for a traditional year-end reunion dinner, marking the final moments of the old year.”

He and his father-in-law will then visit a nearby pagoda to seek the first blessings of the new year, symbolizing prosperity, abundance, and good fortune.

“My father-in-law usually asks me to perform the ‘first-footing’ ritual on the morning of the first day of Tet, an important custom believed to set the tone for a smooth and fortunate year ahead,” he said.

According to Vietnamese tradition, a good beginning leads to a good ending, so the first person to enter a home after midnight on Lunar New Year’s Eve is believed to influence the family’s fortune for the year ahead.

“On the morning of the first day, my extended family gathers at the home of a senior relative – often the eldest uncle or another respected elder – as long as the house is spacious enough to host everyone," he said.

“My mother-in-law and aunts prepare a wide array of traditional Vietnamese dishes to welcome relatives who come to exchange New Year greetings and wishes."

Also, he and his family members will make visits to other close families in the area on the afternoon of the first day or on the second day of Tet.

Food, family, first impressions

He was shocked to see a fully cooked rooster on the table, complete with its beak and eyes, for the first time.

“It was quite shocking at first, but the meat itself was actually delicious.”

He also shared that he was overwhelmed by the number of people visiting during Tet.

“When spending Tet with my wife’s family, I realized just how large her extended family is," he recalled.

“Even distant relatives would come by to greet us and stay for food and drinks.”

It was overwhelming but also very lovely, he stressed.

“One thing I especially remember is how my bowl was constantly refilled by my mother-in-law, aunts, or uncles whenever it was empty. It is very easy to eat too much during Tet.”

Beyond the festive atmosphere, he deeply appreciates how Vietnamese families remember their loved ones who have passed away.

“They take time to pray, express gratitude for the past year, and hope for health and good fortune in the year ahead,” he said.