What is the best time to perform the New Year's Eve offering ceremony?

The ceremony should be held from 11 PM on the last day of the lunar year (30th or 29th if the month is short) to 1 AM of the first day. The ideal time is exactly at midnight (Tý hour). Outdoor worship comes first to welcome the new deity, followed by indoor ancestral worship.

Is a boiled rooster mandatory on the New Year's Eve offering tray?

No, it is not mandatory. Boiled rooster is common in the North, but each region has its own specialties: Central Vietnam uses bánh tét and beef sausage; Southern Vietnam has braised pork and bitter melon soup. The most important is sincerity and careful preparation according to family customs.

What safety precautions should be taken when burning votive paper during the ceremony?

Burn votive paper in an open area, away from flammable materials like curtains, paper, or dry plants; have an adult supervise. Do not burn indoors or near crowds. Extinguish all embers completely before leaving. Use a dedicated burner or outdoor incense urn.

How to Prepare New Year's Eve Offering Tray

What is giao thừa worship? The rite of 'seeing off the old, welcoming the new'

Giao thừa worship (the Trừ tịch ceremony) is one of the most important rituals of the Lunar New Year for Vietnamese people. According to folk belief and the book 'Ngọc Hạp ký', each year a Hành khiển deity, together with a Hành binh deity and a Phán quan, is sent down to earth by the Jade Emperor to govern. At the moment of giao thừa, families perform the ceremony to send the old deity back to heaven and welcome the new one, which is called 'tống cựu nghênh tân' (seeing off the old, welcoming the new). This is a widespread custom offered for reference; details can vary by region and family, and there is no single 'absolutely correct' model.

In folk belief, why is the outdoor ceremony usually performed first and the indoor ceremony afterwards? At giao thừa, the handover between the old Hành khiển deity and the new Hành khiển deity happens very urgently, with troops coming and going busily through the air. These deities cannot enter the house and only pause to receive the offerings, so the tray welcoming them is usually set out in the yard or in front of the door. Only after the outdoor ceremony is done does one go inside to perform the indoor ceremony.

According to records in 'Việt Nam phong tục' by Phan Kế Bính (1915), at the moment of transition from the thirtieth night to the first day of the month, in the city every household placed an incense table in the middle of the yard to perform the giao thừa ceremony, while in the countryside the villagers organized the giao thừa ritual at the communal guard post. As the book records, folk belief held that each year there was a Hành khiển deity overseeing human affairs; when the year ended, this deity would hand over the work to another deity, and so people made offerings to see off the old deity and welcome the new one.

Comparison table of outdoor and indoor giao thừa offering trays according to custom.

Criterion	Outdoor offering tray	Indoor offering tray
Placement	A clean table or mat in the middle of the yard, in front of the main door, facing the road	On the ancestral altar or on a separate table in front of the altar
Level of fullness	Similar to the indoor tray	Usually simpler than the outdoor tray
Dishes	Boiled chicken, bánh chưng or bánh tét, sticky rice, giò chả	Fruit, bánh chưng, giò chả, sticky rice, boiled chicken
Accompanying offerings	Betel and areca, wine or tea, rice and salt	Betel and areca, wine, votive paper
Arrangement	Chicken left whole or chopped, bánh chưng beside it, sticky rice and giò chả in front, fruit, cakes and betel and areca around	Arranged neatly and cleanly
Flowers	A vase of flowers on the right	Flowers placed on both sides
Incense and lamps	An incense bowl or incense sticks in the middle, lamps or candles on both sides	Lamps or candles lit on both sides, incense bowl in the middle
Votive paper	Set aside in one corner, burned after the ceremony	Includes votive paper

When is giao thừa worship performed?

According to VnExpress, the giao thừa ceremony can be performed from 11 p.m. on the thirtieth day of Tết until before 1 a.m. on the first day of the new year. In years when the twelfth lunar month is short (only 29 days), the ceremony is held on the night of the twenty-ninth. The most auspicious time is exactly the hour of the Rat (11 p.m. to 1 a.m.). One should worship outdoors first to 'welcome the new', then go inside to address the ancestors.

What does preparing offerings for giao thừa worship include?

The offerings for giao thừa worship can make use of the items already prepared for Tết, or a separate tray can be arranged. Below is a common list (it can be increased or reduced depending on circumstances and region):

Boiled chicken (usually a rooster, with a rose in its beak, common in the North).
Bánh chưng (the North) or bánh tét (the Central and Southern regions).
Red gấc sticky rice (the North), giò chả (the North), giò bò (the Central region).
Typical savory dishes: braised pork with eggs, bitter melon soup (the South); bamboo shoot and vermicelli soup (the North); pickled vegetables, chè kho (the Central region).
A five-fruit tray (depending on the region; in the South it is usually 'Cầu, Dừa, Đủ, Xài').
Fresh flowers, betel and areca, wine or tea, rice and salt.
Incense, candles or oil lamps, votive paper (votive money, paper clothes).
Candies, sweets and Tết jam.

Common quantities for the outdoor tray:

Betel and areca: 3 betel leaves, 3 areca nuts.
Plain white wine with 3 small cups.
A teapot with 3 cups.
2 candles or oil lamps.
A plate of rice and a plate of salt.
Votive paper including hats, clothes and votive money for the Hành khiển deities.
The main dish can replace chicken with a pig's head or gấc sticky rice.

Many families prepare only one main tray, worship outdoors first and then bring it inside to worship, rather than making two separate trays.

If worshipping outdoors, the offering tray is prepared in the same way as indoors.

How should the giao thừa offering tray be arranged?

What does arranging the outdoor offering tray include?

Place the offering tray on a clean table or mat in the middle of the yard, in front of the main door, facing the road.
Arrange it neatly: boiled chicken left whole (or chopped), bánh chưng or bánh tét placed beside it, sticky rice and giò chả in front; fruit, cakes, betel and areca arranged around.
Place the vase of flowers on the right, the incense bowl (if there is one) or incense sticks in the middle, lamps or candles on both sides.
Pour one cup of wine or tea, set out a small plate of rice and salt.
Set votive paper aside in one corner, to be burned after the ceremony.

How should the indoor offering tray be arranged?

The indoor offering tray is placed on the ancestral altar or on a separate table in front of the altar, neatly and cleanly.
It is usually simpler than the outdoor tray: it can include fruit, bánh chưng, giò chả, sticky rice, boiled chicken, betel and areca, wine, votive paper.
Lamps or candles are lit on both sides, the incense bowl is in the middle, flowers are placed on both sides.

What is the sequence of giao thừa worship?

Step 1: Prepare before the worship hour

Clean the house and the altar.
Prepare all offerings and arrange the trays (outdoor and indoor).
Neaten clothing and maintain a reverent frame of mind.

Step 2: Worship outdoors (the ceremony welcoming the new Hành khiển deity)

Exactly at the hour of the Rat (11 p.m. on the thirtieth or twenty-ninth of Tết), the head of the household goes out to the yard, lights the lamps or candles and lights incense.
Many households go out to the yard to light candles and incense about 15 to 20 minutes before the giao thừa moment, so as to pray at the exact turn of the year.
Join the palms respectfully toward the offering tray and read the prayer text (the outdoor prayer, with content seeing off the old deity, welcoming the new deity, praying for peace and prosperity; one may read from a printed version or pray sincerely in one's own words).
When the incense has burned about two thirds, bow three times, wait for the incense to burn out and then burn the votive paper.

Step 3: Worship indoors (reporting to the ancestors and the Thổ Công)

After completing the outdoor ceremony, the head of the household goes inside and lights incense on the ancestral altar.
Read the indoor prayer text: inviting the ancestors to come and enjoy Tết, praying for blessings and peace for the family. The indoor ceremony also addresses the Thổ Công, the deity who governs the land of the house, together with the ancestors.
Bow three times, wait for the incense to burn out and then burn the votive paper.

Step 4: Completion

After the incense has burned out, clear the offering tray and burn the votive paper in a safe place (an outdoor incense bowl or a dedicated incinerator).
The indoor offering tray can be taken down for the whole family to share in the blessed food.

What are the main points of the giao thừa prayer text?

The giao thừa prayer text usually has separate versions for outdoors and indoors. Its main content includes:

Opening section: 'Nam mô A Di Đà Phật' (3 times), respectfully bowing to the Buddhas, Hoàng Thiên Hậu Thổ, and the venerable deities.
The section of reverence: Naming the deities who governed the old year and the new year (for example, in the year Ất Tỵ: Ngô Vương Hành khiển, Thiên Hao Hành binh, Hứa Tào Phán quan; in the year Bính Ngọ: Tần Vương Hành khiển, Thiên Mao Hành binh, Ngọc Tào Phán quan, according to VOV2).
The section of declaration: Stating the household head's full name, address, the reason for the ceremony and the offerings presented.
The section of prayer: Asking the new deity to grant wealth and prosperity, to protect the family with peace and to make all things go well; inviting the ancestors to come and receive the offerings.
Closing section: 'Chúng con lễ bạc tâm thành, cúi xin chứng giám' (our offerings are humble but our hearts are sincere, we humbly ask for your witness), bowing 3 times.

You can find the full prayer text in traditional prayer books or on reputable news sites. If you do not know it by heart, you can read from a printed version, as long as sincerity is maintained.

Safety and spiritual notes when worshipping at giao thừa

Fire and explosion safety: When lighting incense, candles and oil lamps and burning votive paper, careful supervision is needed, placing them away from flammable objects, with adult supervision; after burning, they must be fully extinguished. Do not burn votive paper inside the house or near curtains or paper. When burning votive paper, it should be burned in a metal pot or bin, placed in an open spot without strong wind, and watched until the fire is completely out.
Frame of mind: Neat clothing, a solemn attitude, and sincerity above all.
Regional differences: Offering trays can differ; Northerners favor boiled chicken and bánh chưng; the Central region leans toward bánh tét and pickled vegetables; the South has braised pork and bitter melon soup. Families can adjust according to their circumstances and local customs.
Short year: If the twelfth lunar month is short (29 days of Tết), still worship at the correct hour of the Rat, and do not worship earlier.

Giao thừa worship is not only a ritual of belief but also an occasion for the family to gather and to send forth wishes for a peaceful and lucky new year.

Is it necessary to make two separate trays for outdoors and indoors?

It is not mandatory. Many households prepare only one tray, worship outdoors first and then bring it inside to worship the ancestors and the Thổ Công. Making two separate trays is also common, especially when a family wants a fuller indoor tray or has special dishes to offer the ancestors. It depends on circumstances and family tradition, as long as the order of outdoors first, indoors afterwards, and sincerity are maintained.

Overview article on the topic: What Festivals and Tet Occasions Are There in Vietnam Throughout the Year?