A lively New Year celebration in the coastal area of ​​Hoang Mai.

((Baonghean.vn) - Quynh Lap commune, a coastal area in Hoang Mai town, is home to thousands of fishermen who make their living from the sea. For them, Tet (Lunar New Year) is the only time of year they can gather with loved ones and spend the longest time with relatives and friends. During these days, every household and every person works together to create the most fulfilling and vibrant Tet celebration to welcome the New Year of the Rooster 2017.

On the last day of the year, our team of reporters followed fisherman Phan Van Hai – Chairman of the Fishery Association of Quynh Lap commune – and members of the executive committee as they distributed gifts to impoverished households for the Lunar New Year. Having spent the whole year at sea, the first thing they did upon returning to land to celebrate Tet with their families was to visit and encourage families still facing difficulties and elderly people in the village who were no longer able to work. While the monetary value may not be great, this meaningful activity warmed the hearts of many families during the approaching spring.

Mr. Phan Van Hai – Chairman of the Fisheries Association of Quynh Lap commune – presents Tet gifts to Mr. Thi's family. Photo: Hoang Mai

At the small house of Mr. Le Van Thi in Quyet Tien village, Quynh Lap commune, Hoang Mai town, Tet (Lunar New Year) seemed to arrive later. Due to their advanced age and declining health, the couple didn't buy many things, but everything they had was neat and clean. Receiving Tet gifts from the commune's fisheries association, he was deeply moved: “I served in the army and went to sea for over 15 years. Now, old and frail, my wife and I are just friends. But seeing the joyful and enthusiastic atmosphere of welcoming the new year this year, and receiving the care and attention of the members of the commune's fisheries association, I truly don't know what more to say than thank you for bringing joy to my wife and me.”

Mr. Le Ba Minh and his neighbors in the neighborhood group gathered to decorate the shared road section. Photo: Hoang Mai

After completing their work for the association, the fishermen returned home to prepare with their families for the New Year's celebration. In the spacious house of Captain Phan Van Hai in Hop Tien village, his wife, Ms. Thuy, and their children couldn't hide their joy and the hustle and bustle of the last day of the year. For those who make their living at sea year-round like them, moments on land with loved ones and family are incredibly precious. This year, the joy is even greater as the fishing season has been bountiful. With two vessels, one for fishing and one for service, after deducting expenses, Mr. Hai and Ms. Thuy earned 1.3 billion VND. While busily washing each item for the five-fruit offering tray, Ms. Thuy confided: "For Vietnamese people, Tet is a time for family reunion, but for people like us who live by the sea, when our husbands are out at sea all year round, the joy of cleaning and decorating the house with our children and preparing the offering tray for our ancestors on the last day of the year is immeasurable. It's the joy of reunion, the joy of knowing our loved ones are safe after a year of battling the rough seas and strong winds."

Mr. Hai's house is located on the main road extending from the center of the commune down to Rong hamlet, bordering the sea. On the evening of the 30th of Tet (Lunar New Year's Eve), the main roads and small alleys in Quynh Lap commune were brightly lit with lights and flags. The number of people and vehicles increased steadily. After completing the rituals for ancestor worship at home, young people often joined the crowds on the main roads to enjoy the vibrant and splendid atmosphere that everyone had collectively created. Beforehand, each household contributed 500,000 to 1 million VND to buy LED lights, flags, flowers, and banners to decorate the roads and alleys, creating an extremely lively and bustling atmosphere.

Village roads and alleys in Quynh Lap were adorned with colorful flags and flowers on the afternoon of the 30th day of the Lunar New Year. (Photo: Hoang Mai)

Mr. Tran Dinh Tam, a businessman at Quynh Lap market, said: “My family sells many kinds of goods, and during Tet (Lunar New Year), we add peach blossoms, kumquats, and decorations to serve the local people. This year, the demand is high, and we have to constantly import goods to keep up with the demand. We only hope that every Tet, the fishermen of Quynh Lap will have such abundance and prosperity.”

Fisherman Tran Dinh Hanh from Quyet Tien village, Quynh Lap commune, Hoang Mai town, said: “Although we still face difficulties, at the end of the year, some fishing trips bring in 350-400 million VND. Because of the good harvest, fishermen can retire from fishing earlier and have more time to spend with their families preparing for Tet (Lunar New Year). I am almost 50 years old, but I have never witnessed a Tet as complete and joyful as this in Quynh Lap commune. For the new year, we hope for a continued bountiful harvest, and for the fishermen to have strong legs and smooth sailing at sea – that's all we need to be happy.”

Hundreds of boats, repainted, sit side-by-side at the Cờn estuary. Photo: Hoàng Mai

Besides focusing on decorating their houses and village streets, the people of Quynh Lap commune, Hoang Mai town, also gave hundreds of boats and ships at Corn wharf a new look. This created a magnificent spectacle, resembling a floating city on the coast on New Year's Eve.

A unique tradition of the fishermen in this coastal region is that, in addition to celebrating New Year's Eve at home, all boat owners and their workers organize New Year's Eve parties on their fishing vessels. The fishermen here believe that these celebrations are lively and grand, bidding farewell to the old year and ushering in a new year of abundant catches, welcoming the best of luck and good fortune that awaits them in this new spring.

Hoang Mai