A wide variety of items for celebrating longevity at the beginning of the year.
The custom of celebrating longevity, an expression of the moral principle "Respecting the elderly brings longevity," continues to be preserved and spread during the Lunar New Year of the Horse. In Nghe An, the market for longevity celebration items has been bustling since the second day of Tet, with a variety of paintings, banners, cakes, etc., in diverse designs and at stable prices, reflecting the interplay between tradition and modernity.
For a long time, celebrating longevity has been an important New Year's ritual, when children and grandchildren show filial piety and gratitude to their grandparents and parents who have reached significant milestones such as 70, 80, 90, or even older. During the Lunar New Year of the Horse (Bính Ngọ), from the 2nd or 3rd day of the New Year, the atmosphere in many localities in Nghe An was bustling with preparations for longevity celebrations. Along with choosing an auspicious date and preparing the first meal of the year, many families spent time searching for dignified gifts to celebrate longevity, conveying wishes for health, long life, and happiness to their elders.
In Van Hien commune, the family of Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Hien celebrated the 90th birthdays of both his parents. For Mr. Hien, this was not just a family event but a great blessing. “Having both parents reach their 90th birthdays is a blessing for the whole family. Therefore, the children and grandchildren are very careful when choosing gifts for the birthday celebration. The birthday painting was meticulously prepared, as a spiritual gift expressing respect, sincerity, and the wish for the grandparents to always be healthy and happy with their children and grandchildren,” Mr. Hien shared. Mr. Hien's family's story is also a common choice for many families this Tet holiday.
Observations on central streets such as Phan Dinh Phung, Tran Hung Dao, Ho Tung Mau, or at markets and business establishments in communes and towns show that from the morning of the 3rd day of Tet, paintings and banners celebrating longevity were quite abundant. According to traders, demand began to increase from the afternoon of the 1st day, but peaked on the 3rd and 4th days of Tet, when many families officially held longevity celebrations for their grandparents and parents.
In the spring of 2026 (Year of the Horse), Dai Dong commune recorded 1,234 elderly people reaching milestones from 70 to over 100 years old, including 5 centenarians and 45 centenarians. In the early days of spring, the atmosphere of celebrating longevity in Dai Dong commune was lively and warm in every family and clan. The demand for meticulous preparations for the celebrations led to a steady increase in the purchase of longevity paintings and banners, creating a vibrant trading activity from the 2nd and 3rd days of Tet (Lunar New Year).
Ms. Tran Thi Huong, owner of a shop selling longevity celebration banners and paintings in Dai Dong commune, said that the supply of longevity celebration banners and paintings is usually imported from craft villages in the North right after the 15th day of the 12th lunar month. “This year, purchasing power is stable, not increasing dramatically but steadily. Customers mainly choose elegant and meaningful designs that suit the worship space and living room,” Mr. Hoa said. Notably, the prices of longevity celebration items have generally remained relatively stable compared to last year, creating a sense of reassurance for consumers.
According to surveys, celebratory paintings made of lacquer, mother-of-pearl inlay, glass, velvet, and silk typically range in price from 350,000 to 700,000 VND per piece. Higher-end products made of bronze or wood cost from 800,000 VND to several million VND, depending on size and level of craftsmanship. The designs are diverse, ranging from the characters for "Happiness," "Prosperity," and "Longevity," to images of immortal beings, peach blossoms, and themes of pine trees and cypress trees symbolizing longevity, couplets, or Tang Dynasty poetry, catering to various aesthetic tastes and customer segments.
In Thanh Vinh ward, many businesses selling longevity celebration paintings have proactively prepared large quantities of goods, displaying them from the morning of the second day of Tet. Besides traditional designs, custom printing services are also popular, such as framing family photos, portraits of the person celebrating their longevity, or designing personalized banners. Ms. Hoang Thi Nga, owner of a painting shop on Tran Hung Dao street, said that despite societal changes, longevity celebration paintings and banners still hold a significant spiritual value. From the second to the sixth day of Tet, her shop had to hire extra staff to keep up with printing and completing products for customers.
Alongside paintings and banners, the market for birthday cakes has also seen increased demand in recent years. While previously cakes were primarily seen at birthdays, they have now become a familiar part of many longevity celebrations, contributing to a solemn yet warm atmosphere. According to Trang Oanh bakery owner, the shop received hundreds of orders for birthday cakes starting from the second day of Tet (Lunar New Year). The cakes are typically designed with a dominant red and gold color scheme, symbolizing good fortune and family reunion, along with decorative details such as peach blossoms, old men and women figures, and red peach branches.
The prices of birthday cakes are quite flexible, catering to various needs. Single-tier cakes range from 220,000 VND/piece, while two-tier cakes start from 500,000 VND and up. In mountainous communes like Con Cuong, many cake shops also open early from the afternoon of the first day of Tet to serve customers. Ms. Nguyen Thi Ngoc Thuy, the owner of a cake shop there, said that orders are most concentrated between the 2nd and 4th days of Tet, with increasingly meticulous and personalized decorations tailored to the age and wishes of the family.
In reality, the market for birthday gifts not only reflects consumer demand at the beginning of the year but also demonstrates the flexible adaptation of businesses to new tastes. Tradition remains at its core, but the ways of expression are becoming increasingly diverse, from paintings and banners with lasting value to modern, convenient birthday cakes.
In today's increasingly fast-paced life, birthday celebrations and accompanying gifts continue to play a crucial role in connecting generations, reminding descendants of filial piety and respect for the elderly. The market for birthday gifts is therefore not simply a matter of buying and selling, but a vibrant portrayal of how traditional cultural values continue to be nurtured, adapted, and disseminated within contemporary socio-economic life.