Start the new year with good fortune.
As Tet (Lunar New Year) approaches, setting aside the worries of the old year, each person chooses their own way to start the new year. This could be focusing on health and fitness, preserving traditional cultural values, sharing messages of kindness, or launching long-awaited projects... These meaningful actions convey a message of a happy and peaceful new year.
Continuing the tradition
In the joyful atmosphere of those daysearly springIn the year of the Horse 2026, the beauty of traditional culture remains a strong bond connecting the hearts of every Vietnamese person. Amidst modern life, many choose to celebrate Tet in a traditional way as a way to remember their roots and preserve their national identity.
Because she pursues the art of calligraphy, in recent years, during the first days of the Lunar New Year, Ms. Nguyen Thi Dinh (born in 1995, Con Cuong commune) often comes to offer calligraphy services at the Hung Dao Dai Vuong Temple (Thanh Vinh ward). The calligraphy service is completely free; visitors can witness it at the temple and leave a voluntary donation to the temple. Ms. Dinh shared: “For me, this work brings a lot of meaning and joy. The first joy is being able to contribute a small part to the preservation of traditional culture and spread the beauty of calligraphy to more people. The second joy is being able to help visitors express their wishes through each character. With that mindset, I feel very happy every time I finish writing.”
The image of the young calligrapher engrossed in her inkstone and paper, meticulously crafting delicate strokes with her brush, further enhances the beauty of this art form. Not only at the Hung Dao Dai Vuong Temple, Ms. Nguyen Thi Dinh is also invited to give calligraphy lessons at several large shopping malls. Many other spiritual destinations throughout the province also organize calligraphy lessons at the beginning of the year, contributing to the preservation of traditional values and bringing the art of calligraphy closer to the community.
It is a precious tradition of "reunion" among large extended families, who, despite their busy schedules, still make time to gather so that younger generations can better understand family bonds and connections.
Not only in their homeland, but also overseas Vietnamese have been striving to preserve the beauty and richness of traditional culture. Ms. Tran Thi Thanh Cam (born in 1988, Truong Vinh ward, currently living and working in Frankfurt am Main, Germany) said: “Because the first day of Tet falls on a Tuesday, and everyone has to go to work, the Vietnamese Embassy in Germany organized an earlier Tet celebration on the weekend for overseas Vietnamese. The program was large-scale, including cultural performances, folk games, making banh chung (traditional rice cakes), a New Year's Eve dinner, visiting temples, and giving lucky money… This is truly meaningful for the children, giving them the opportunity to get closer to their homeland's culture.”
Nguyen Van Tuan (born in 1995, from Van Tu commune, currently living and working in Tasmania, Australia) shared: “No matter how busy we are, overseas Vietnamese like us always try to arrange our schedules to celebrate Tet (Vietnamese New Year) according to customs and traditions within our means. Besides the large-scale activities of the Vietnamese community, my family and some close friends also dedicate a day to wrapping and boiling banh chung (traditional rice cakes), and socializing. Although it's not as complete and full as celebrating Tet in our homeland, it's still a way for us to remember our traditional culture and connect with our country.”
These activities are how each individual is illuminating and extending the traditional cultural values of the nation.
Sow the seeds of sharing.
For many, the beginning of a new year is the ideal time to sow seeds of kindness. Instead of spending time with themselves and their families, they choose to start the year with acts of kindness directed towards the community.
Ms. Nguyen Tra Giang (born in 1991, Thanh Vinh Ward) always chooses to do a good deed on New Year's Day. "I often contribute a small amount to the charity group I'm a part of – the Thanh Vinh Loving Porridge Group. That's why, every New Year's Day, I choose to donate to the group's fund as a way to nurture love, continue the journey of sharing and spreading good things," Ms. Giang said.
It is known that the "Thanh Vinh Loving Porridge Pot" volunteer group has been operating for 9 years. With a kind heart, the members regularly set up a kitchen, cook porridge, and distribute meals to poor patients every Saturday morning. In 2025 alone, the group cooked and distributed nearly 150,000 servings of porridge and nearly 6,000 servings of rice. When western Nghe An was affected by storms and floods, the group also donated a large quantity of essential supplies to the people.
With the same belief, Ms. Nguyen Thi Thuc Hien (born in 1996 - Truong Vinh Ward) shared: “After nearly a year of planning, I chose the morning of the first day of the Lunar New Year 2026 to create and write the first post for the 6TGo Scholarship for Talented Students Overcoming Difficulties project page. This is a charitable project combining the educational community and the online livestreaming platform Gostream, aiming to build a sustainable journey and act with a kind heart.”
Born amidst a context where many charitable projects lacked transparent control mechanisms, thus eroding community trust in kindness, Ms. Hien and her colleagues decided to create a transparent charitable environment – where all contributions are managed through a clear system, with an auditing unit involved from the beginning, specific progress tracking, and ease of use, ensuring everyone's kindness reaches the right place. "I believe the beginning of the year is the ideal time to start a journey of happiness, kindness, and goodness," Ms. Hien confided.
It's not just Ms. Hien and Ms. Giang; many other individuals and volunteer groups have also begun their journey of "sowing seeds of kindness" in the first days of the new year. Many needy situations have received timely support and love. These actions are not simply acts of sharing, but also ways for each person to nurture love and spread beautiful humanitarian values during this time.Traditional Tet.
Tet and meaningful connections
Beyond the family setting, during the Lunar New Year holiday, people have many other options to create a vibrant start to the new year together.
With a large family living in all three regions of Vietnam (North, Central, and South), every year on the second day of the Lunar New Year, Ho Khanh Vinh's extended family (born in 1988, Vinh Phu ward) arranges to meet at a tourist destination. Vinh shared: “For us, the Lunar New Year is a rare opportunity for all family members to gather, and this trip holds great significance. We usually choose tourist spots far from the city center, close to nature, so that the children can enjoy the fresh air and participate in various activities. Families bring along some local specialties and enjoy them together. This is an opportunity for everyone, especially the younger generation, to connect, bond, understand each other better, and create beautiful memories together.”
In a spirit of connection, members of Ms. Lam Hai Yen's family (born in 1981, Vinh Phu ward) performed a lively dance together to welcome the new year. As a music lover and fitness enthusiast, Ms. Yen also connected with other women who share her passion to spread healthy dance moves. Similarly, with the aim of building healthy connections and promoting fitness, members of the Nghe An Runners community took to the streets from the very first days of the year. Despite the chilly spring rain, the members remained determined to achieve their goals.
Those healthy connections make for an inspiring spring season.
