Volume - V Issue - V Season 3 Volume - V Issue - V Season 3 | Page 49

Author 3

FESTIVALS ARE THOSE WHICH GIVE US A REASON TO
CELEBRATE ” ― Eric Liddell

FESTIVALS

VIETNAMESE FESTIVALS
TET FESTIVAL
In Vietnam our country, we have lots traditional festivals but I think the
most important one is the New Year festival. Vietnamese call it Tet. It’s
different from yours because we celebrate the New Year on January 1st of
the lunar calendar. That means while you are having New Year festival we
are preparing for Tet here.
We clean, tidy and decorate our houses with beautiful decorations and post
cards. There are also the best choices to choose plants at Tet: Peach
blossom in the north and apricot blossom in the south of Vietnam. We also
buy kumquat tree.
Children are given lucky money by our family or relative for the happiness,
the best things in the future. We can also enjoy this special holiday by
seeing the fireworks on the New Year’s Eve. It’s the greatest time of the year
that I never forget.
By - KIEN

THE MID AUTUMN FESTIVAL
The Mid-Autumn festival dates back to the Rice Civilization of the
Red River delta, over 4,000 years ago. It is fantastic and charming
with its history. It is held on the 15th day on the 8thlunar month
(often in late September or early October) in the middle of autumn
and it is celebrated for a whole day. On this day, the adults and the
parents prepare many different foods - Moon cakes, candies,
biscuits, jellies, and fruit, such as grapefruit, longan fruit, bananas,
apples, mango, etc. All of them are designed with fun symbols, for
example: dog, cat, mouse …
- HYONG LY QUAN

THE VU LAN FESTIVAL

The seventh lunar month is believed to be the time wandering souls
are returning to their former homes. During the festival, people visit
pagodas and temples to worship, burn incense and offer votives to
their ancestors and wandering souls. They prepare offerings of food,
clothes and votive papers, and release animals like birds or
fish. Ancient legend has it that a Buddha's disciple named Muc Kien
Lien saw his mother suffering from hell’s tortures. Following
Buddha’s advice, on the seventh full moon of the year, Muc Kien Lien
gathered monks and devotees to pray for his mother’s relief. Hence,
such gathering has become an annual festival to express gratitude
towards parents and ancestors. - BAO TRAN LU
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