The excitement of Tet (Vietnamese New Year) is building.

(Baonghean)The twelfth lunar month is drawing to a close. The sounds of Tet (Lunar New Year) gently touch me, even if it's just a fleeting glimpse through a small street corner or a rural alley. From the warm scent of incense evoking a sacred realm, to the shimmering pink of peach blossoms on someone's doorstep, to the mountain woman gathering golden, dry rice from her hearth, to the small village filled with the aroma of molasses, to the fluttering footsteps of women in new skirts heading to the market accompanied by the melodious sound of the bamboo flute...

Why does December, with its familiar dates, evoke such longing and nostalgia? Because December marks the end of the year, a time when East Asians dream of reunion and togetherness, a time when children celebrate another year older, and the elderly find more serenity, faith, and hope for a new month filled with blessings for themselves, for everyone, and for their homeland.
And so, who doesn't look forward to Tet (Lunar New Year)? But Tet arrives for each person, each family, in different ways. Amidst countless joys, there is still a touch of sadness; amidst thousands of reunions, there is still loneliness; amidst so many worries, there is the fear of cold, the fear of hunger... Though we don't want it to, this reality still touches us.



Residents of the Dinh Phong resettlement area in Tam Dinh commune, Tuong Duong district, are preparing to celebrate Tet (Lunar New Year).

As the twelfth lunar month drew to a close, a news item arrived from the mountainous region of Tan Ky, reporting that at Dung Hop Secondary School, the school's administration, in collaboration with the Young Pioneers' Union, was organizing a "Spring Connecting Love" event. Under the guidance of their teachers, the students held a small fair, with stalls selling products made by the students themselves, with contributions from their families: from school supplies and dried flower baskets to food items like boiled sticky corn and cassava cakes... and even custom-ordered peach blossom branches for Tet (Lunar New Year). The majority of customers were teachers and parents. After two days of the "fair," the 5 million dong collected would be donated to the "For the Poor" Fund to buy gifts for students in difficult circumstances during Tet.

And it's not just at Dung Hop Secondary School; many other schools have launched movements to share and support underprivileged students. Like every unit and locality throughout the province, amidst the hustle and bustle of the year-end, there are also practical activities to ensure a warm Tet holiday for people in disadvantaged areas and those receiving social welfare benefits. Houses built under the "Great Solidarity" program smell of lime and tiles. Trucks and goods line up the hills, carrying dreams of new clothes to children in the highlands. Ships bring the green color and love of the mainland to distant islands.

Yes, despite all the hardships and worries, from year-end summaries, Tet holiday supply plans, market stabilization... to important tasks like preparing for the Spring Festival Investor Meeting, the most urgent matter, emphasized by provincial leaders, remains "caring for Tet for policy beneficiary families and poor households." The Tet holiday of the Year of the Snake will soon arrive for every home and every person, but from now on, the joy and warmth of Tet have already come to the people in disadvantaged areas. So that no one will be burdened with worries about scarcity or cold, and no one will feel lonely!

Nghe An Weekend