Têt and Flowers

I received a beautiful greeting card from TVU today - wishing me a happy new year! The card had an illustration of a cherry blossom tree, which is supposed to bring good luck if it blooms for the New Year. I was just coming back from the market this morning (had the day off - the university is mostly empty anyways, with the students gone for 2 weeks) and couldn`t help comparing Têt holiday with Christmas in Canada. You know I like to make lists, so here is my list of similarities and dissimilarities between Christmas and Têt:

1. FAMILY TIME: At Christmas, most Canadians will travel to spend some time with their family(ies). Têt is also all about spending time with your nearest and dearest. As an example of the travelling thing, tickets to Hanoi from HCMC were completely booked for Têt at least one month in advance (which is why I`m heading to Cambodia instead of Hanoi).

2. "MON BEAU SAPIN!": Even if you`re not Christian, chances are high(if you live in Europe or North America) that you bring out the Christmas tree around December 25 (be it a real tree, a potted tree, or just a plastic one). As I mentioned, Têt in Vietnam would not be the same without an abundance of vegetation: flowers, mini trees, cherry blossoms in particular. I find it quite amusing to see everyone on their motorbikes, trying to balance one or two (or more) plants on their laps. Of course some people are smart and invest in a wagon to carry all that vegetation home.

3. NEW STUFF: Christmas is the most lucrative time of year for most businesses in North America. Gift-giving is common, especially for children. Têt, on the other hand, does not focus as much on giving gifts (although gift baskets are common). Instead the focus is on "new" stuff in general: it`s the time of year to buy new clothes, get your hair cut, get your house painted and cleaned from top to bottom.

4. RELIGION: This is where the similarities end (or maybe not). Christmas is the time to celebrate the birth of Baby Jesus (or the arrival of Santa Claus hah). On the other hand, I don`t think Têt has any religious significance. Maybe someone can correct me?

5. HOLIDAY FOOD: Turkey, stuffing and Chinese food are common Christmas foods in my family. For Têt, there is also lots of cooking to do if you are hosting your family. I am still pretty ignorant about how Vietnamese food is made but I have heard that special `cakes` and other goodies are prepared for Têt.

Ìf I think of anything else, I`ll edit this post. You won`t hear from me for a week now, as I`m off to Phnom Penh and Siem Reap for my holiday! Chuc Mung Nam Moi, tout le monde!