TL;DR: Each day from the 1st to the 7th of Tet has its own custom: on the 1st, ancestor worship, first-footing and lucky money; on the 2nd, New Year calls to relatives and the start of choosing days to set out, write the first characters and open shops; on the 3rd or 4th, burning votive paper to see the ancestors off (the 1915 book Việt Nam phong tục records the 4th); on the 5th, folk belief avoids setting out; on the 7th, khai hạ, when the cây nêu is taken down. In the past most households celebrated for only three days, some for seven, and today practice varies by region and family.
From the 1st to the 7th day of Tet, what does each day mean in Vietnam?
Tet Nguyên Đán is the largest festival of the year for Vietnamese people, lasting from before the New Year's Eve transition until the end of the 7th day. Each day of the Tet week has its own characteristic customs and activities, reflecting beliefs about luck, family reunion and remembrance of ancestors. Below are the main features of Vietnamese Tet customs.
What are the first-footing and New Year greeting customs on Day 1 of Tet?
The 1st day of Tet is the most important day, opening the new year. Phan Kế Bính (1915) records that people worship at the giao thừa moment, midnight between the 30th and the 1st, and on the morning of the 1st prepare a feast for the ancestors which, large or small, must include bánh chưng[1]. On that day people guard their words for fear that careless talk brings bad luck all year, and many households ask a kind, good-natured person to come early in the morning for first-footing (xông đất, xông nhà), so that trade goes well all year[1]. Today many families also pick a first-footer whose age is compatible with the head of the household.
Then comes the custom of New Year greetings. According to Phan Kế Bính, after the ancestor offering the children and grandchildren bow to wish their grandparents and parents a happy new year, and the elders give each child a few xu or hào, called lucky money; relatives and acquaintances visit each other's homes, bow before the ancestral altar and wish one another prosperous trade and that all goes as wished[1]. When today's custom of giving lucky money in red envelopes (lì xì) began is unclear[3].
People in the past avoided sweeping the house or taking out the rubbish on the 1st day, in some places until the 3rd, for fear of "sweeping" their luck out of the house[4]. Phan Kế Bính notes that the sweepings were only heaped in a corner and taken out three days later, after the động thổ rite, and traces the custom to the story of Âu Minh and Như Nguyện in the Chinese book Sưu thần ký[1].
How do people visit family and relatives on Day 2 of Tet?
Today the 2nd day is usually when children and grandchildren pay New Year calls to relatives on both the paternal and maternal sides. Phan Kế Bính records the older custom: younger sons whose parents are alive bring them gifts; if the parents have died, on the 2nd day they prepare a feast and bring it to the eldest son's house to worship the parents, and the 3rd day is the same as the 2nd[1]. Also from the 2nd day on, people choose a day to set out for the year and go picking budding branches (hái lộc), officials choose a day to open their seals, students write their first characters (khai bút), merchants open their shops and villagers hold the động thổ rite[1].
Among the Tày, Y Phương's essay "Tết anh cả" says: "On the second day, whole families of husbands, wives and children go to wish the paternal and maternal grandparents a happy New Year…"[5].
What is the custom of burning votive paper and seeing off ancestors on Day 3 of Tet?
Burning votive paper (hóa vàng, đốt vàng mã) is the rite that sees the ancestors off after the days they spent celebrating Tet with their descendants. Phan Kế Bính writes that the votive paper is burned on the 4th day; if that day is bad or falls on the household head's own day (ngày tuổi), it may be done a day earlier or later, and some families wait until the 7th, calling it the day of seeing off the ancestors[1]. Today many families burn the votive paper on the afternoon of the 3rd, so the day differs from household to household.
Today, many places encourage limiting votive paper burning to protect the environment.
Should people continue spring outings on Days 4 and 5 of Tet and avoid travel on the 5th?
According to Phan Kế Bính, throughout the first lunar month people in town and country alike visit one pagoda or shrine after another, go sightseeing and attend festivals[1]; going to the pagoda to ask for blessings at the start of the year is also a familiar theme of Tet essays after 1986[2]. However, folk belief holds a taboo against setting out on the 5th day of Tet, with the saying "mùng 5, mùng 14, mùng 23 đi chơi còn lỗ nữa là đi buôn" (going out on the 5th, 14th or 23rd already brings loss, let alone going to trade)[4]. Therefore, many people avoid big tasks or long journeys on this day.
How does the khai hạ ceremony on Days 6 and 7 of Tet end Tet?
On the 6th day of Tet, many families begin cleaning and preparing to return to work. The cây nêu is put up a few days before Tet: according to Phan Kế Bính, in many places people cut a bamboo pole for the nêu, tie on three straw rings and a bundle of votive gold, meaning to ward off demons lest they disturb the house in the new year[1]. On the 7th day the cây nêu is taken down, and this is called the day of khai hạ[1]. The book also notes that some households celebrate Tet for one day, some for three and some for seven, but most for three[1].
Some already wanted fewer rites in the early 20th century. In the section Lễ tết of Gia lễ giản yếu (1932), Dương Bá Trạc calls the Đoan ngũ, thượng nguyên, trung nguyên and trung thu festivals meaningless and says they should all be dropped, keeping only Tết Nguyên Đán, Tết Thanh minh and Tết cơm mới[6].
What taboos are observed during the Tet days?
Folk custom also has many Tet taboos: avoiding breaking things, quarrels, borrowing and lending, wearing black and white clothes, and certain foods such as duck meat, bananas and balut, depending on the region[4].
Venerable Thích Trí Chơn holds that most Tet taboos come from the desire to do good, and should not be understood in a sense of fear or extreme superstition[4].
How do Tet customs differ between regions and ethnic groups?
Tet customs differ between regions. In the North, Phan Kế Bính records that the Tet feast, large or small, must include bánh chưng, braised fish, giò, chả and pickled onions[1]. The South favors bánh tét, pickled scallions and braised pork with eggs. The Tày people have their own festivals such as Tết cả, Tết Slip Sli with duck meat, and Tết Hạ chí[5].
Nhật Nguyệt's suggestions
Understanding the customs from the 1st to the 7th day of Tet helps you proactively arrange your time, balancing rest, reunion and social activities. You can choose to keep the customs that suit your family circumstances, without overemphasizing formality. The most important thing during Tet days remains the warm atmosphere, reunion and sharing.
Summary table of Tet days
| Day | Main activities | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | First-footing, New Year greetings, lì xì | Lucky beginning, reunion |
| 2nd | New Year calls to relatives, feast at the eldest son's house, choosing a day to set out | Strengthening family bonds |
| 3rd | Burning votive paper (many families today) | Seeing off the ancestors |
| 4th | Burning votive paper (per Phan Kế Bính), spring outings | Seeing off the ancestors, enjoyment |
| 5th | Avoiding travel (folk belief) | Avoiding bad luck |
| 6th | Cleaning, preparing | Transition |
| 7th | Khai hạ, ending Tet | Taking down the cây nêu, returning to normal life |
The table above is only a summary of common features; adjustments may vary by locality and family.
Frequently asked questions
Can you sweep the house on the 1st day of Tet?
According to folk belief, you should not sweep the house or take out the rubbish on the 1st day, and some places keep the taboo until the 3rd, for fear of sweeping away luck[4]. The old custom was to heap the rubbish in a corner and take it out after three days[1].
Is the 3rd day of Tet the day for burning votive paper?
Not necessarily. Many families today burn votive paper on the afternoon of the 3rd, but Phan Kế Bính (1915) records burning it on the 4th, a day earlier or later if that day is bad, and some families wait until the 7th[1].
Is the 7th day of Tet the end of Tet?
The 7th day is khai hạ, when the cây nêu is taken down, and is usually taken as the end of Tet[1]. According to Phan Kế Bính, most households celebrated Tet for only three days, while pagoda visits, sightseeing and festivals went on throughout the first lunar month[1].
