The market for offerings for the Khai Ha ceremony is bustling.

Despite the fact that the opening ceremony took place in the middle of the work week and it was cold and rainy, from early morning, the local markets were crowded with people buying offerings. Especially at shops and stalls selling votive paper, fresh flowers, fruits, betel nuts, etc., people jostled to make their purchases.

According to observations, at the markets, goods for people to buy for Tet (Lunar New Year) celebrations are abundant and diverse, with prices remaining relatively stable. Among these, fruit is the most popular item. Vendors have imported a wide variety of fruits in large quantities. Compared to the period before and during Tet, the prices of most fruits have decreased slightly.

Accordingly, watermelons are priced at 30,000 VND/kg, mandarin oranges at 50,000 VND/kg, Vinh oranges at 40,000 VND/kg, Cat Chu mangoes at 60,000 VND/kg, custard apples at 80,000 VND/kg, star apples at 60,000 VND/kg, red dragon fruit at 60,000 VND/kg… Green bananas, however, have seen a sharp price drop, now costing only 50,000-70,000 VND/bunch; betel nuts and leaves are now only 15,000 VND/plate;...

Ms. Nguyen Thi Luong, a fruit vendor at Quan Lau Market (Truong Thi Ward, Vinh City), said: “Since yesterday afternoon (the 6th day of the first lunar month), people have started buying offerings for the Khai Ha ceremony. Because it's just after Tet, instead of offering meat dishes, people are choosing to offer more fruit, so sales are booming. Compared to the period just before Tet, fruit prices have dropped sharply, and the variety, abundance, and freshness are much greater.”

Along with fruits, fresh flowers such as yellow and white chrysanthemums are in high demand during this time. The current price of chrysanthemums is 4,000-6,000 VND per stem, a decrease of 2,000-3,000 VND per stem compared to the Lunar New Year. In markets, chrysanthemums are widely available, mostly from growers who missed the Lunar New Year and are now selling them to people for the opening ceremony and temple visits, making them much cheaper than imported chrysanthemums.

"Each chrysanthemum stem, with 5-7 flowers, costs only 3,000 VND. The flowers were just cut, so they're very fresh. I chose to buy the local-grown chrysanthemums instead of those imported from Da Lat because they're fresher, cheaper, and I also want to support the growers," said Ms. Thanh Thuy, a local resident.

The best-selling items on the first day of the Lunar New Year are sticky rice cakes, sweet soup with areca flowers, banh chung (Vietnamese rice cakes), and pre-prepared gio cha (Vietnamese sausage), and chicken for offerings. “Since it’s just after Tet (Lunar New Year), the offerings for the first day of the Lunar New Year are simpler. People choose convenient savory and sweet items like banh chung and gio cha. Just this morning (the 7th day of the first lunar month), I’ve already sold 30 banh chung and 10kg of gio cha,” said Ms. Nguyen Thi Loan, a vendor of gio cha and banh chung at Coi Market (Vinh City).

In particular, the service of preparing and delivering offerings for ancestral worship is also very active. Organic food stores, fruit shops, and many restaurants offer services to prepare and deliver offerings to customers' homes. Accordingly, the price of each chicken and sticky rice offering ranges from 350,000 to 500,000 VND; a complete offering (including fruit, betel nuts, fresh flowers, tea, banh chung (traditional Vietnamese rice cake), gio (Vietnamese sausage), and paper offerings) costs from 500,000 to 700,000 VND. This service is also quite popular due to its convenience.

"Since it was a workday, I didn't have time to go to the market or cook. Therefore, to ensure everything was done properly for the Khai Ha ceremony, I chose to order a ceremonial tray from a clean food store, including sticky rice cakes, areca flower tea, chicken sticky rice, and a tray of five fruits with chrysanthemums, for 700,000 VND," said Ms. Pham An Nhien, a civil servant in Vinh City.

The "Khai Ha" ceremony (also known as the "Lễ hạ cây nêu" or "Lễ hóa vàng"), or the "Lễ khai hạ nêu," is a ritual performed after the Lunar New Year holiday (usually on the 7th day of the first lunar month). It's a way to bid farewell to ancestors and deities, wishing them blessings and good fortune for the living, hoping for bountiful harvests, successful businesses, and prosperity in the new year. For businesses, it's a prayer for good luck and success.

Depending on the economic conditions and customs of each family and region, the offerings for the New Year's opening ceremony will vary, but everyone tries to prepare as thoroughly as possible to have a complete and elaborate feast.

Thanh Phuc