The most widely celebrated holiday in Vietnam is probably Tết, or the Lunar New Year Festival. Derived partly from Chinese New Year, Tết occurs every year at the beginning of the first month of the Vietnamese lunar (moon-based) calendar. That means the holiday falls around the end of January or the beginning of February in the Gregorian calendar (the one most countries around the world use). During this time, people in Vietnam who do not have to work or go to school will often go back to their home towns to visit their families, especially their parents and grandparents. People will clean their houses, buy and wear new clothes, wish each other a happy new year and prepare large meals for family and guests. During Tết, people, especially children, will receive lucky money in different-colored envelopes, visit pagodas and present gifts to family members, teachers, employers and friends. In 2019, Tết lasted for nine days.
However, this week, I'm going to tell you more about a different kind of new year celebration, which is very popular in Soc Trang and other parts of what is now called southern Vietnam.
