Cay Neu

A bamboo pole (New Year's Tree) stripped of its leaves except for a tuft on top. Red paper decorates the tree which is planted outside the house during the Tet holidays. It is supposed to ward off the evil spirits during absence of the Spirit of the Hearth who leaves the family at this time to visit the palace of the Jade Emperor.

Vietnamese Peach Blossoms

According to Vietnamese legend, once upon a time, in the East of the Soc Son Mountain, North Vietnam, existed a gigantic peach tree. The tree was so huge that its shadow extended through out a large area of land. Up on the tree, lived two powerful deities, Tra and Uat Luy. They protected the people of the land in the surrounding areas from the devils. The devils were so afraid of these two deities that even the sight of the peach tree haunted them.

However, at the end of every Lunar year, these two deities had to fly back to heaven for an annual meeting with the Jade Emperor. During this time, the devils took advantage of this opportunity to harass the peaceful inhabitants. To fight the battle against these devils, people came up with the ideas of display a branch of the Peachtree in the house to scare away the devils. Since then it becomes a custom of the North Vietnamese to have a branch of a Peachtree during Tet season to protect themselves against the Satan soldiers. Who doesn't have Peachtree can draw the figures of the two deities, Tra and Uat Luy, on red paper, and display them in front of the house.

Hoa Mai

Hoa Mai are popular in the south region of Vietnam because of the warm weather. Cay Mai (tree) is a small, yellow flowering plant that is used for decoration during Tet with the meanings of prosperity and well-being for the family.

The Fruits

Coconuts, papayas, mangoes, watermelons, pineapples, bananas, oranges, Asian apples, grapefruits are the favorites fruits during this special holiday season. They are usually placed on altars first for the gods and ancestors. After these gods and ancestors spiritually consuming the fruits, humans are then allowed to eat them. These fruits symbolize good fortune, and the colors of red and orange represents joyfulness.

Fire Crackers

Besides the cheerful sound to welcome and celebrate Tet Season, many people believe that fire crackers are also used to scare the unholy spirits away.

Snacks

Kumquat Tree

Banh Chung

A type of rice cake with beans and pork, covered with banana leaves; a favorite for this holiday. Banh Chung represents the Earth, since we used to believe that the Earth has a squared shape, and the meat and beans in the middle of Banh Chung represent the different kinds of people on Earth. Banh Chung at Tet symbolizes the love and respects for parents. Please read "The origins of Banh Chung" for more details.

Xin Xåm

After Giao Thua, the last day of the lunar calendar year, many Buddhists go to their favorite pagoda to pray for a good year and to get a fortune reading for the whole year. Each person will get a chance to shake the tube that contains reading sticks, until one stick falls out of the tube. In the case that many sticks drop out of the tube, that person will have to repeat the process. Afterward, usually the monks will translate the meanings of the reading.

A mythology that the Kitchen god goes to heaven by riding on the back of a carp. Some people still respect this belief by releasing a carp in a pond or river.