Celebrating Lunar New Year

Celebrating Christmas in Our Culture

In my culture, Christmas is not celebrated with turkeys, stuffing, Christmas trees, and a day at the church, but it’s still a festive occasion. People exchange gifts, light up their homes with colourful Christmas decorations, play Christmas songs, and gather with loved ones for a cosy meal. This meal often includes hotpot or a variety of Vietnamese dishes that everyone at the table can share and enjoy, such as spring rolls, lean pork pastes, bamboo soups, and other family favourites.

For many, Christmas in Vietnam is more about socializing than religious observance. Since our understanding of the holiday often comes from Western entertainment, people interpret it in their own way. Some choose to stay home and avoid the bustling streets, while others venture out to join the lively crowds and soak up the festive atmosphere. I personally prefer the former, as I, like most people who celebrate this day, cherish spending time with family in the comfort of our home.

Interestingly, while Christmas has no religious significance for most Vietnamese, some non-religious people attend church to experience the solemnity and beauty of the service. Others may visit temples or pagodas, as it’s always a good time to connect with the gods and reflect on the year.

Lunar New Year: The Alternative Celebration

For those who don’t celebrate Christmas, Lunar New Year often becomes the highlight of the season. Celebrated primarily by Vietnamese, Chinese, Korean, and other East and Southeast Asian cultures, Lunar New Year marks the arrival of a new year based on the lunar calendar. The date varies annually, falling anywhere between late January and late February. For example, the 2024 Lunar New Year fell on February 10 while the 2025 Lunar New Year will be on January 29th. This unpredictability adds a unique charm to the holiday. Moreover, despite the Western New Year on January 1st, many, like my mom, consider Lunar New Year the “real” start of the year. Anything that happens before it doesn’t count in her eyes!

Rich Traditions and Preparations

The festivities usually last several days and center around family, honoring ancestors, sharing meals, and expressing gratitude. In the days leading up to Lunar New Year, families thoroughly clean their homes, a task that many young Vietnamese, like myself, find exhausting. (Please don't tell my Mom.) We always want our house to look its best since many people visit during the New Year.

In place of Christmas trees, Vietnamese families in the North display cherry blossom branches, while those in the South use yellow apricot flowers. The more blooms on the branch, the luckier the year ahead is said to be. My family enjoys the tradition of selecting our cherry blossom branch just before the New Year—it’s always a delightful experience. In addition to those, my mom loves flowers, so she often includes other plants like lilies or gladiolus to brighten up the entire house.

Traditional Foods and Festivities

Lunar New Year wouldn’t be complete without its special dishes. Feasts typically include bánh chưng (square sticky rice cake), chả giò (lean pork paste), thịt đông (jellied meat), boiled chicken, and spring rolls, though every family has their own variation of the celebratory meal. Preparing these dishes together is a cherished family activity that strengthens bonds and adds to the festive atmosphere. Kids like us often gather to watch over the boiling chung cake overnight, a fun activity reminiscent of a Western-style bonfire camp.

Unlike Christmas, where gifts are exchanged, Lunar New Year traditions focus on lì xì, or lucky money. Adults give children red envelopes (though other colors are becoming popular too) containing money, symbolizing wishes for a prosperous and successful year ahead. 

The Shared Spirit of Celebration

Whether it’s Christmas or Lunar New Year, both holidays share the universal themes of family, reflection, and hope for the year ahead. For those of us who don’t celebrate Christmas, Lunar New Year 2025 might feel a little bittersweet—especially for first-timers spending it solo abroad-like yours truly. But here’s the silver lining: the Lunar New Year community is known for its warmth and hospitality. Instead of frantically cleaning the house and juggling a dozen dishes in the kitchen like back home, I look forward to gathering around a cosy hotpot meal. It’s a change of pace, and honestly, I’m not complaining!