Over the years, Hanoi has managed to retain its unique cultural traits. The atmosphere of celebrating Tet in Hanoi has been preserved and passed down through generations, maintaining the traditional flavor of the past.
In the old days, Tet was simply about a box of assorted candied fruits, a few ounces of mung beans to wrap Banh Chung, perhaps some meat, and a firecracker, and that was enough to mark the occasion. Children would adorn themselves in new clothes, receive lucky money, and eagerly await the New Year’s Eve amid the loud sounds of firecrackers…
The Tet of yesteryears in the memory of Hanoians evokes scenes of early mornings lining up at trading shops to buy a few boxes of Tet sweets. It brings to mind the laughter and chatter in the chilly winter mist as families select a branch of flowers. It reflects the simplicity of a time when material conditions were challenging, yet the warmth of human connection prevailed…
Though simple, the Tet of the past was endearing and cozy. Memories of Tet from those times have become an indelible part of the minds of those who have experienced it over time.
While we still see peach blossoms, apricot blossoms, Banh Chung, and the bustling atmosphere of Tet, the Tet celebrations of yesterday and today have diverged significantly. Indeed, there are things we can only rediscover in memories, in the images that remain from the days gone by…
Photographs capturing the Tet celebrations of old Hanoi, with its beautiful customs and cultural traits, evoke unforgettable memories for many generations who have experienced this period…
Children shopping for Tet with their parents
Flower stalls at the Tet market
A scholar writing calligraphy on the street
Tet flower market in the biting cold
The bustling flower market of yesteryears
The market primarily selling peach blossoms
A bustling Tet market with buyers and sellers
Tet market by Hoan Kiem Lake
An artist painting Tet decorations
Wrapping Banh Chung
Banh Chung boiled before New Year’s Eve
Tet shopping during the subsidy period mainly relied on trading shops. These shops were decorated with panels and posters to create a festive atmosphere.
Everyone was concerned about how to buy enough for their family’s Tet celebrations. From the 20th day of Tet, the department stores would become overcrowded.
After shopping for essential goods for Tet, people would visit the stalls selling sweets and Tet wine. Tet wine in the past was only orange and lemon liquor, with the best being Nàng Hương wine.
Notices announcing Tet goods like these were everywhere, but if you didn’t buy quickly, they would sell out.
Just a bit of assorted sweets, packaged in a thin box, was enough for everyone to feel the Tet atmosphere approaching their homes.
Tet sweets and Banh Chung are two essentials of the traditional Tet celebration for Vietnamese people.
Tet paintings, calendars, and couplets sold on the sidewalks for customers to take home or give as gifts to family.
Stalls selling paintings and Tet flowers…
Money exchange booths were very busy in the days leading up to Tet.
Firework shops during Tet signal the arrival of spring, as the old year passes and a new year is welcomed.
Children back then were always attracted to the clusters of red and pink fireworks at such grocery stores.
During the days leading up to Tet, traveling by train and bus was extremely difficult. Many people had to take turns waiting in line for train tickets for days on end, hoping to get a ticket. Those who couldn’t get tickets often had to sit on the roofs of trains.
Cars during Tet were just as crowded as trains.
After many days of hectic preparation for Tet, everything finally came together. On the evening of the 30th, family members gathered around the New Year’s Eve feast.
The sound of fireworks exploding during Tet remains forever in everyone’s memory. It signals that spring has arrived and a new year has begun.
Children excitedly searching in hopes of finding unlit firecrackers among the remnants scattered on the ground.
Streets of Hanoi during Tet.
The lucky money coins given to children back then.
After Tet, everyone begins to return to their work.
For those working far away, the warm moments of returning to reunite with family during Tet, though brief, will motivate them to work hard throughout the coming year.
