Who is coming to visit this Tet?

(Baonghean) Today, my good friends and I gathered for a year-end drink. After chatting for a while, the conversation turned to the topic of Tet. I happily joined in:

"I'm most afraid of being the first person to enter the house on New Year's Day. Last year on the 30th of Tet, I was sitting eating watermelon seeds and watching TV when I saw my neighbor rushing over, looking flustered:

- Mr. Trieu, what year are you?

Confused and not understanding what was going on, I replied:

- Year of the Snake, but why?

- Oh my god, I'm lucky, I was born in the year of the Rooster, Rooster and Snake are a good match. You must come to my house to be the first to enter my house. Last year, business was so bad, it was because my father-in-law's age and destiny were incompatible that I came to visit. This year, I have to prepare carefully. Okay, uncle, remember to come early, I'm waiting!

After talking for a while without giving me any time to comment, he ran back in a panic. I clicked my tongue and thought, Tet is only once a year, how could I refuse when someone asks me to? I finished the half-eaten melon seed, and saw another neighbor lady come in, chattering like a flute:

- Uncle Trieu, please come and be the first visitor to my house. If you come and be the first visitor, this year the position of department head will definitely go to my husband. You must come, please!

After this woman, I also received two other people in the neighborhood, and they all asked me to be the first to enter the house. This is very dangerous, if the whole neighborhood comes to ask for help, then on the night of the 30th and the morning of the 1st, I will be no different from a village crier walking around the village? My wife came in, saw me sitting there in pain, scratching my head, and asked:

- Tet is coming, why do you look like you're going to a funeral? Uncle Thu from the house across the street is here to see you!

I rolled my eyes and whispered:

- If you don't keep your mouth shut, tell them I'm not home, okay? Tell them my age isn't compatible, so I won't be the first to enter your house or your house.

My friends laughed heartily. One of them, a big boss and a small boss, took a sip of beer, looked at the beer bottle, suddenly his face grimaced, we gathered around to ask him, then he told the story as follows:

"Every year, people give our family candy, soft drinks, foreign wine, and countless cases of beer, filling up the house. My husband and I regretfully take them to a dealer to sell, calling it anti-waste according to the State's policy. That solution was satisfactory, but one day, while I was happily selling off a few cases of beer that people brought, my wife came home and asked:

- So people don't put envelopes? Strange!

I jumped, busy getting rid of the beer cases, I forgot about them. My wife kept nagging me, so I had no choice but to go to the store to buy back the beer cases I had just sold. I felt so bad but I had to pay a few hundred thousand more. When we got home, my husband and I searched everywhere but couldn't find any envelopes. While we were blaming each other, my mother-in-law walked in, holding a stack of envelopes in her hand, happily saying:

- Mom was afraid you wouldn't notice so she put this away for you. Oh, who brought this beer as a gift? I'll have to sell it to save money!

My husband and I looked at each other, then at the beer crates, our faces contorted!".

The whole group burst out laughing. The laughter sounded somewhat sarcastic, laughing at others, laughing at ourselves, laughing (or crying?) at the traditional Tet cultural features that have been somewhat distorted by excessive superstition or disguised personal interests. The above are just a couple of stories told for fun, but there are so many funny and sad stories about Tet, how could we ever tell them all?

Another new year is coming, another busy holiday season for everyone. I don’t expect to receive many red envelopes or to be the first to visit someone’s house, I just want to have a simple Tet, without worrying about money, fame, or profit. I wonder if my neighbors will let me sit peacefully eating watermelon seeds and watching TV this year, or are they scratching their heads wondering who will come to visit this Tet?

Hai Trieu (Email from Paris)