Over than 35 years, everything changed speedy.Now you can see plenty of motorbikes and cars in stead of bicycles on the streets where young boys and girls in modern wears dodging through vehicle crowd. Apartments and houses replace flower fields in Nhat Tan, Nghi Tam, Ngoc Ha villages... Children ask their parents to buy for them China toys, new clothes, shoes and even mobile phones, motorbikes, ... in stead of being happy with grandparents or parents to prepare for Tet.
People now don't buy so much food for their Tet because it's really easy to have it even on the
First Day of the Tet. Rural traders understands well what their Kings want, with, of course, much higher price than the other days.
People travel more since the first day of the Tet, they spend money for showing themselves with brand new or luxury motorbikes, cars or wearing sparkling jewely.
Family members gather once during the Tet depending on tradition of each family (the last day of the Old year, first day or second day... of the New Year).
For most families in Hanoi, they keep tradition to worship the ancestors during at least 3 days of the Tet and one thing not to miss at mid night (the moment the old year comes to the new year) of the New Year's Eve is to creat an altar outside of their house (normally in the garden or on the highest place of the house outside to worship Heaven and Earth. They pray for a New Year with health, luckiness, happiness, prosperity, ... Especially during the Tet, everyone avoid doing nonsence and try to keep delicate and humorous towards the others.
Other Tet's thing people keep until now is to go worship at pagodas, temples or churches during last days of the old years and first days of the new year in hoping that all bad lucks have gone and good lucks will come. However, they spend too much money for burning votive paper offerings (money, clothes, shoes, vehicle, house, .... all personal belongings)
For me, Tet always comes with drizzle, peach blossoms, Banh Chung and new feelings.....
I love the Tet!
