Celebrate! Vietnamese Holidays and Festivals
1) Tet (Nguyen Dan):Tet is the biggest Vietnamese event of the year. Tet marks the beginning of the lunar New Year and spring at the same time. This holiday falls between late January and the beginning of February. Everyone’s home is squeaky clean, with many flowers all around their homes. Because Vietnamese feel as if bringing in the New Year with debts is bad luck, they are adamant about paying them off. This time is rather festive with many family events occurring all over Vietnam.
2) Hai Ba Thung Day: On November 1st annually, the lives of the Tung sisters are celebrated. The sisters led a revolt against the Chinese (rulers) and Vietnam was freed in A.D. 41. After the Chinese recaptured Vietnam the sisters drowned themselves out of sorrow. Their lives are celebrated and they are classified as Vietnam heroes.
3) Thanh Minh:Compared to America’s Memorial Day, families visit the grave sites of the deceased with food, flowers, papers, and other items to shower their loved ones with.
Vietnamese Attire
Ao b aba: silk pants, long sleeved button down silk shirts are the usual look. This outfit is usually worn while working, but can be seen by loungers as well and in various colors. This attire is traditionally worn by men.
Aoyem: diamond shaped cloth draping over a females chest, with strings to tie at the back.
Aotur than: Oldest Vietnamese clothing worn by women. It’s a dress, more so a gown with multiple layers. This is the oldest yet extremely traditional Vietnamese wear. Also called a long tunic reaching the floor, it opens like a jacket and comes in many colors with a sash tied around it.
Male outfits goo only to knees while females dresses go all the way to their feet and beyond. The traditional hats are called Non la. They are simple, and cone shaped, representing the hardworking Vietnamese people.
Online Vietnamese lessons for kids: dinolingo.com
