My brother’s family came from the South to celebrate Tet with my mother on December 28. I sent both children to stay with them. The children were excited to prepare backpacks, clothes, and books to go home.
I have reminded and trained my children to be conscious of doing housework and to care for their family members. And as a result, after many years of having headaches because of the children's yelling and naughtiness, my grandmother has concluded this year: The children have grown up a lot this Tet, are smart, and know how to help her with many things. She does not have to remind or yell like before.
During Tet, I always jokingly tell my neighbors that I am busier, more tired, and more exhausted than usual. After finishing cleaning up my house for Tet, I worry about preparing for Tet at my paternal home, then hurry back to my maternal home for Tet.
I celebrated Tet in my husband's hometown for 3 days from December 29th to the first day of Tet. I went to the market, bought a bunch of peonies, violets, and chrysanthemums to arrange. My mother's garden already had a grapefruit tree with a dozen ripe yellow fruits, so I only needed to buy a bunch of bananas and some fruits. So my husband climbed up the tree with a ladder to cut the grapefruit, threw it down for his wife to catch professionally. I reminded my husband to pick some early blooming grapefruit flowers to burn incense to make the fruit tray more beautiful.
Now that I have experience, I divide the work clearly. I stay home to clean and prepare spring rolls, while my husband goes to the market to buy chicken, ham, and other food for Tet. On the afternoon of the 30th, after boiling the chicken and burning incense, I put a pot of fragrant water with grapefruit leaves, lemongrass leaves, and green tea leaves picked from the garden for my mother-in-law to bathe in on the last day of the year. My mother-in-law works as a seasonal vendor at the market for 10 days before Tet. She leaves from morning until evening.
My mother-in-law has assigned the Tet holiday to my husband and I for several years now. After finishing the New Year's Eve meal with my mother, my husband and I rode our motorbikes back to our house to clean up, shower and prepare for the New Year's Eve. My husband and I drove back and forth between my husband's house and ours for several days during Tet. There were times when I felt tired, but thinking about how many Tet holidays there were in the year, I tried a little harder to keep the atmosphere lively!
On the 2nd, I was on duty at the office, happily celebrating Tet with my colleagues. On the morning of the 3rd, my husband and I went to my mother's hometown. When we got home, the gate was locked. I called my mother and brother but no one answered. After a while, my brother called back, the whole family was returning from the village temple.
Every year my hometown holds a very solemn birthday celebration for the elders at the village communal house, with children and grandchildren filling the communal house yard.
When we met, the whole family chatted, I gave lucky money to my mother and the children, wishing her good health, beauty, and happiness. My mother loved to be beautiful, so my daughter gave her lucky money, making her smile brightly. A while later, the village lion dance team came to wish my mother a happy birthday. My mother and I took a souvenir photo with the lion dance team in the spring sunshine. After that, my brothers and I went up to wish our aunt a happy 90th birthday.
My uncle’s family has 7 siblings and many grandchildren and great-grandchildren. It has been a long time since my brothers and I have all gathered together like this. After many years of struggling to make a living, we are all middle-aged. Sitting together, we have so many funny stories to tell, my brothers and I just laughed and talked all afternoon. I took a photo with my uncle’s brother on Tet holiday and posted it on Facebook with the title: It’s been 30 years since I last took a photo with my brother.
It's true that only on Tet holiday can I meet all my brothers and sisters and recall so many beautiful memories of my childhood.
The fourth day of Tet is the anniversary of my father's death. My mother has given full responsibility for the memorial service to my brothers and me. I suggested making fish soup to avoid boredom. My sister-in-law said she didn't know how to make northern fish soup. I volunteered to make sour fish soup for Tet. It's nothing special, fish marinated in turmeric, seasoning powder cooked with tomatoes, fermented rice, kohlrabi, then sprinkled with dill and herbs.
It was that simple, but my whole family praised the fish soup I cooked, scoring 9 points. So I had the opportunity to be proud that I could cook country dishes perfectly.
My mother said that this year she was very lucky, receiving many lucky money from her children and grandchildren, and all kinds of polite gifts. She concluded that from childhood until now, at the age of 75, she has felt this Tet holiday to be happy, complete, and perfect.
I understand that Tet is always the happiest time for the elderly and children because it is the occasion for the whole family to gather and welcome the new year. No matter how hard and busy we are, for each of us, Tet is always the most special occasion to express our feelings to our family members.
The 2024 Lunar New Year holiday has passed. Vietnamese people have returned to their busy work and study. However, the aftertaste of Tet is still in everyone's heart. Please share with us about your Tet holiday. Please send your article to the email address: bandoisong@vietnamnet.vn or leave a comment at the end of the article. Best regards! |
Going back to my maternal home for Tet, just hearing you say one sentence made my heart feel strangely warm.
The car started moving, looking at him waving goodbye, I suddenly felt strangely warm inside. I also remembered his advice: “Next year, bring the kids back for Tet, even if grandma dies, we still have you!”
Checking the room after Tet, the landlord witnessed an unbelievable scene.
After Tet, seeing that the young man who rented the room continued to owe money and did not come to check in, Mr. Duy went to check and witnessed an unbelievable scene.
Young people invite their parents to the city to celebrate Tet together, make video calls to visit relatives
CHINA - Tired of traditional customs, young people in this country invite their parents to the city to celebrate Tet, video call to visit relatives to have a relaxing and gentle Tet.
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