Lunar New Year Tet – A moment for people to slow down, return, and be together
WVR - Tet may continue to evolve over time. New forms will emerge, old habits will fade. But as long as people still desire to be close to each other and need an occasion to return, Tet will remain meaningful.
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| Tet is a space for gatherings. (Photo: Phuong Quyen) |
Amidst frequent flights, extended online meetings across time zones, and messages replacing direct greetings, people still await Tet as a pause. Not just to rest after a year of work, but to return. Return to family, memories, and oneself. Thus, preserving Tet in modern life is not just about maintaining a tradition, but ensuring people are not swept away from each other in the increasingly fast-paced flow of the era.
Many feel that Tet today is "shorter" than in the past. Flower markets are vibrant but quickly fade, feasts are abundant yet simplified, and greetings are more often sent through phone screens than handshakes. Modern life operates at high speed, and Tet is no exception. Many families opt for travel instead of full reunions; many young people take the holiday to "unwind" after a stressful year; early-year meetings are sometimes hastily arranged amidst busy schedules.
However, if we look deeper, perhaps Tet hasn't shortened. It's just that our way of experiencing Tet has changed. In this change, the question isn't "Is Tet still the same?" but "Are we still together as before?".
Tet is a space for gatherings. It's where geographical distances are narrowed, misunderstandings are eased, and words left unsaid in the old year have a chance to be spoken. In the kitchen during the last days of the year, as mothers busily prepare the year-end feast, fathers wrap banh chung, and children tidy up old rooms, something is quietly being mended: The bond between generations.
| "In the increasingly fast-paced life, Tet is not just a holiday or a tradition repeated over time. It is a moment when people choose to slow down, return, and be together. Preserving Tet is not about clinging to old forms, but about maintaining the bonds that prevent us from being swept away from family and community in the modern flow". |
Modern life brings many conveniences and opens up many opportunities, but it also makes people more prone to being "parallel" rather than "together". Everyone has their own pace, their own world, their own space shaped by work, interests, and social media. We can connect with hundreds of people in an instant but rarely sit down for long with those closest to us.
In this context, Tet serves as a reminder. That some relationships need to be nurtured through real presence. That some values cannot be replaced by technology; no matter how vast the world is, the place to return to is what brings peace to each person.
Preserving Tet doesn't mean keeping every ritual and habit intact. Society changes, and so will the way we celebrate Tet. Not every family can gather all generations; not everyone can return home on New Year's Eve; not every custom remains suitable for the new pace of life. Perhaps, what needs to be preserved is not the form but the spirit.
That spirit is togetherness. It's the moment the whole family sits together, even if it's just a simple meal. It's listening more than judging. It's taking time to ask parents about the past year, to share plans for the coming year. It's understanding that everyone, no matter how strong they are in society, still needs a place to be vulnerable.
In many young families, Tet is being redesigned in their own way. Some choose to simplify preparations to make time for shared trips. Some prioritize experiential activities with children to help them understand the meaning of tradition. Some streamline rituals but keep the most sacred moments like New Year's Eve and visiting grandparents. This flexibility doesn't diminish Tet but shows that Tet is living alongside contemporary life.
The concern is not that Tet changes, but when people no longer value each other's presence. When the holiday is just a time to pass by each other amidst personal plans. When New Year's wishes become hurried formalities. When reunion meals are replaced by everyone in front of their own screens.
Therefore, preserving Tet is about ensuring meaningful gatherings. It's daring to slow down for a few short days to look into each other's eyes. It's accepting to put aside debates and differences to find common ground in sharing. It's understanding that bonds don't form naturally; they require time and proactive nurturing.
During Tet, people tend to open up more. Perhaps because the feeling of starting a new year always comes with the desire to renew oneself. Unspoken words can be voiced; misunderstandings can be resolved; plans can be shared. Tet creates a special timeframe where the past, present, and future coexist in a moment.
For those far from home, Tet is a thread connecting memories. It's the scent of incense wafting on the afternoon of the 30th, the sound of fireworks echoing from the square, the feeling of stepping through a familiar threshold after a long journey. In a globalized world where movement becomes the norm, Tet keeps a cultural anchor for everyone. It seems to be a sense of belonging.
And perhaps, in its depth, Tet not only connects the living but also links to past generations. The ancestral altar is respectfully cleaned, the feast is carefully prepared, the New Year's Eve prayer is spoken with reverence, all reminding us that each of us is part of a flow longer than ourselves. When we realize this, people become more forgiving of each other, understanding that family bonds are not just a matter of the present.
Amidst modern life, preserving Tet is also about maintaining a necessary slow pace. A pause to reflect on what has passed, to adjust what is unfinished, to set new priorities. When the whole society shares a moment of rest, it's a rare opportunity for the community to feel a sense of harmony.
Tet may continue to evolve over time. New forms will emerge, old habits will fade. But as long as people still desire to be close to each other and need an occasion to return, Tet will remain meaningful.
Preserving Tet is not about clinging to the past, but choosing to maintain the values that help us not lose each other. In a world where everything can be quickly swept away from news, trends to relationships, family and community bonds become even more precious.
Perhaps the simplest reminder Tet gives each person is: Stay with each other a little longer. Another meal, another conversation, another hug before the new year begins. Because ultimately, the meaning of every achievement, every step forward, is not just how far we go, but who we still have with us.
Perhaps, preserving Tet in modern life is about providing people with a harbor in a long journey. It's about ensuring the invisible threads between parents and children, siblings, and friends do not wear away over time. Above all, it's about maintaining our ability to be fully present with each other in a world that never stops moving.
