NEW YEAR CUSTOMS

Customs and Traditions of Lunar New Year: Preserving Cultural Identity and Family Spirit

Lunar New Year, the biggest holiday of the year, is not only a time for rest and family reunions but also an opportunity to preserve and promote traditional cultural values. Each region and family has its own customs and practices, creating a diverse and rich spiritual life. This article will help readers understand more about common customs and practices, while also suggesting ways to preserve and pass them on to future generations.

1. The Meaning of Customs and Traditions During Lunar New Year

• Family bonding: lunar new year is a time for children and grandchildren to return to their hometowns, visit grandparents, parents, and relatives. Customs such as lighting incense for ancestors, cleaning the altar, and preparing the Tet feast all carry the message of gratitude and remembrance of one’s roots.
• Wishing for luck and prosperity: Traditions like the first visitor to the house, picking lucky branches, giving New Year wishes, and receiving lucky money aim to hope for a peaceful, joyful, and prosperous new year.
• Preserving cultural identity: lunar new year customs reflect an ancient culture, helping younger generations understand and take pride in their national traditions.

2. Popular Customs and Practices

2.1. Cleaning and Decorating the Home

• Meaning: Before lunar new year, families often clean, scrub, renovate their homes, decorate with flowers, and hang couplets and lanterns. This symbolizes driving away the old and preparing to welcome the new and good things.
• Suggestion: Relatives can plant additional ornamental plants, apricot flowers, peach flowers, and kumquat trees in front of the house to create a spring atmosphere.

2.2. Banh Chung, Banh Tet

• Meaning: Banh Chung and Banh Tet are the soul of the traditional lunar new year feast, expressing gratitude to ancestors and the spirit of reunion.
• Suggestion: Families can gather together to wrap the cakes, share old stories, and pass down the secrets of cake wrapping to their children and grandchildren.

2.3. Lighting Incense for Ancestors

• Meaning: Lighting incense on the ancestor altar is a sacred ritual, reminding descendants not to forget the contributions of previous generations.
• Suggestion: Prepare a tray of five fruits, tea, wine, sticky rice cake, etc., to offer to the ancestors as a sign of respect.

2.4. First Visitor, New Year Greetings, Age Celebration

• First Visitor: The first person to enter the house after the New Year is considered the "first visitor," bringing luck and prosperity to the homeowner.
• New Year Greetings: Visiting and wishing each other health and happiness at the beginning of the year is a way to uphold the spirit of "remembering the source of the water we drink," creating strong relationships.
• Age Celebration: The tradition of giving lucky money in red envelopes symbolizes wishes for good luck and health for children and the elderly.

2.5. New Year's Sprouting

• Meaning: Sprouting (branches, buds) after the New Year's Eve or early on the first day of lunar new year is a custom to seek good fortune, wishing for a new year full of vitality and success.
• Suggestion: It is advisable to choose plants grown in your own garden, avoiding picking from public places or sacred sites.

3. Preserving and Promoting Customs and Practices

• Teaching the younger generation: Sharing the significance and guiding children on how to perform rituals and customs so they understand and appreciate traditional values.
• Organizing community activities: Village festivals, lunar new year fairs, banh chung wrapping contests, and couplet writing competitions help spread customs widely.
• Combining with modern trends: Preserving traditional elements while being flexible in presentation, such as using clean, organic ingredients for the lunar new year feast and decorating homes in a simple yet cozy style.

4. Conclusion

The customs and traditions of the lunar new year are a thread that connects the past, present, and future, helping us preserve our roots and cultivate cultural and familial values. Maintaining and promoting these beautiful traditions not only enriches our cultural identity but also instills a sense of national pride in future generations..

Let us all work together to preserve, maintain, and pass on the spirit of lunar new year so that traditional values remain vibrant through the years. Wishing everyone a warm and meaningful spring season!