Offerings for the opening ceremony are abundant, prices have increased slightly.

People are busy shopping for offerings for the opening ceremony. Photo: Thanh Phuc

C, on the afternoon of January 27 (January 6) and the morning of January 28 (January 7), at the traditional markets, people were buying offerings for the opening of summer quite crowdedly. Especially at the shops and stalls selling votive paper, fresh flowers, fruits, betel and areca nuts, etc., people jostled to shop.

According to records, at the markets, the items serving people to buy gifts for the holidays are rich and diverse, and the prices do not fluctuate much. Of which, fruit is the most popular item. The stalls are imported by traders with a variety of fruits in large quantities. Compared to the time before and during Tet, the prices of fruits are still stable: longan, orange, star apple 70,000 VND/kg; orange, red dragon fruit 60,000 VND/kg; watermelon 30,000 VND/kg, custard apple 110,000 VND/kg...

Abundant fresh fruits and flowers serve people's needs. Photo: Thanh Phuc

Ms. Tran Thi Phuong - a fruit vendor at Vinh market said: "Starting from the third day of Tet, we have imported fruits to serve people in the opening ceremony. Accordingly, purchasing power has gradually increased from the third day until now, especially on the seventh day, the amount of fruit sold has increased sharply, 3-4 times higher than normal days. In general, prices have not increased significantly."

Green bananas are a hot-selling fruit at this time. Many seasonal traders also take advantage of this opportunity to buy large, beautiful bunches of bananas in large quantities to serve customers. Banana prices have also “cooled down” compared to the Lunar New Year. Each bunch ranges from 50,000 VND to more than 150,000 VND.

The votive offerings are also very popular. Photo: Thanh Phuc

Along with fruits, fresh flowers such as yellow and white chrysanthemums... have strong consumption during this time. Chrysanthemum prices range from 6,000 to 8,000 VND/branch, down 2,000 to 3,000 VND/branch compared to the Lunar New Year. The price of areca nuts and betel leaves has also "cooled down" compared to the Tet holiday but is still high due to limited supply. Each plate of areca nuts and betel leaves (1 areca nut and 1 betel leaf) costs from 13,000 to 20,000 VND, depending on the beauty of the areca nut.

The best-selling items during this time are banh troi and che hoa cau. Selling breakfast items at Hung Dung market (Vinh city), on the day of worshiping Ong Cong Ong Tao, the opening ceremony or the full moon day, Ms. Truong Thi Mai makes banh troi and che hoa cau to sell. "From yesterday afternoon to this morning, I have sold more than 200 cups of banh troi and che hoa cau to people for the opening ceremony. Each cup costs 10,000 VND (10 banh troi) and 12,000 VND (1 cup of che hoa cau, tapioca starch)".

Areca flower sweet soup and floating rice cakes are in high demand. Photo: Thanh Phuc

In addition, items such as ham, banh chung and sacrificial roosters are also quite popular. Therefore, these days, live chickens are more common in the markets than usual, and the service of making sacrificial chickens is also busier than usual. Chicken prices range from 110,000 to 130,000 VND/kg, old roosters with smooth feathers, long curved tails and red combs are sold for 150,000 VND/kg.

The service of preparing and delivering offerings to customers’ homes has been bustling for many days now. Organic food stores and fruit shops all offer the service of preparing and delivering offerings to customers’ homes.

Many people also choose ham as a savory dish in the opening ceremony. Photo: Thanh Phuc

Accordingly, the price of each chicken sticky rice set ranges from 350,000 to 500,000 VND; each complete offering (including: fruit, betel, fresh flowers, sweet soup, banh chung, ham, votive offerings) costs from 500,000 to 700,000 VND. This service is also quite popular because of its convenience.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Ha Phuong, a company employee, said: “Because of the busy nature of work at the beginning of the year, I chose the service of purchasing and delivering offerings from an acquaintance. They will deliver the offerings to me according to my request. I ordered a fruit offering and a chicken sticky rice tray, totaling 800,000 VND.”

The Khai Ha ceremony (lowering the pole offering) is also known by other names such as the pole lowering ceremony, the New Year thanksgiving ceremony, and the votive paper burning ceremony. After the Lunar New Year holiday, people hold the Khai Ha ceremony as a ritual to send their ancestors to heaven after celebrating Tet with their children and grandchildren so that everyone can return to their daily work.

The full-service offering for the opening ceremony is quite exciting. Photo: Thanh Phuc

Depending on the economic conditions as well as customs and practices of each family, the offering tray and the opening day of the new year offering will be different, but everyone tries to prepare carefully to have a complete and neat offering, showing the respect and gratitude of children and grandchildren towards their grandparents and ancestors and praying for a peaceful and lucky year.