New Year's Customs
Worldwide
Celebrating the New Year
in Vietnam
Ngoc-Ahn (Annie) Ho
from Vietnam
Every country has famous
holidays because they symbolize the customs of people. A famous holiday
in my country is the Lunar New Year Festival. Nowadays, Vietnamese still
keep this traditional holiday.
First of all, the New Year
holiday happens in February. In the month before the holiday, people clean
up and whitewash their houses. They buy fresh flowers and a peach blossom
to put in their house. as that is the Vietnamese custom. Second, they buy
cakes and fruits such as watermelons, ginger-sweetmeat, coconut-sweetmeat,
plum-sweetmeat, and lotus seeds to receive their relatives.
On the days before the holiday,
it's crowded in the markets because the people sell flowers and fruits
and they go shopping for the New Year's holiday. If you walk along the
streets near the markets, you'll see the people are going to buy peach
blossoms. It's crowded and fun.
On the midnight of the holiday,
people go to pagodas to pray to Buddha. Everyone walks along the streets
and talks together. After that, old and young people go to the park to
see Chinese dragon dances and fireworks. Next, the people congratulate
each other. The next morning, the children have to wish grandparents, parents
and relatives a Happy New Year. After the children wish their parents good
luck, their parents will give them a red envelope that has money inside.
Then the family eats cakes and watermelon. Watermelon are special fruits
during the Vietnamese New Year. Then, people return to their houses.
This famous Vietnamese holiday
is important because everyone still keeps the customs of their ancestors.
The Vietnamese have fun and are always happy on New Year's Day. They are
always saying "Happy New Year" to each other.
|
