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 January 20, 2008 From the Desk of Fr. Hoan . . .Explore Your World Christmas season is already over in the West and many parts of the world, yet its spirit or similar custom is still hanging around in South East Asia, including my home country, Vietnam. I am talking about Lunar New Year, which starts on February 7th, 2008. The Lunar calendar is often later 30 days compared to the universal calendar which starts right on January 1. Have you heard about Lunar New Year celebration in South East Asia? Ride with me to Vietnam now. The preparation for the Lunar New Year is more exciting than the celebration itself. Between mid-December through the end of January, thousands of people walk in open markets to shop for special food, fruits, clothes, gifts, to special decorative items designated on this particular occasion. Beginning of January, which is December according to the Lunar calendar, people start to fix, clean, and decorate their houses. Everything including one’s vehicle (even bicycle) has to be clean by the day before the First of the Lunar New Year. Almost every family likes to have a “Mai” tree, which blooms bright yellow flowers during this particular occasion. It is believed that the more it blooms on the first day of the year, the more luck one might receive during the year. Gifts are often wrapped and brought to family members, relatives, close friends or neighbors. During the first three days of the New Year celebration, people visit family and neighbors and wish one another “happy New Year” in a formal manner. Everyone, especially children, dress up in their new and fancy clothes on this occasion. During these visits, adults usually prepare “red envelopes” which have small amounts of money to wish luck to children. It’s a small gift for them to spend with good purposes. Many visit the graves of their loved ones. Others attend special musical concerts. Buddhists often attend prayer services in the temples or pagodas while Catholics go to the special masses of New Year celebration. Although the celebration of Lunar New Year is primarily a social celebration, the Catholic Church in Vietnam has incorporated such a celebration into their liturgical celebration. Catholics attend the New Year’s Eve mass and special masses of the first three days of the Lunar New Year. These masses intend to praise God for His goodness to creation, to pray for ancestors, and to sanctify the work of human hands during the New Year. Some parishioners also get together to minister to the poor in their parishes during this special occasion. New Year celebration or “Tet” in Vietnam is the most festive season of the year that coincides with spring season. Schools and government offices resume usually on the fifth day of the New Year. Still, many take their time to travel and enjoy life for another couple of weeks. Some extremists prefer not to work at all during January. How does it sound? I miss “Tet”, a special event which I used to celebrate with my family in Vietnam. Yet, all good memories of this celebration continue to walk along with me and remind me of the different colors of “life” which God has given to all of us. Of course, these lines may not touch all aspects of this particular celebration since each country of South East Asia, and each region of those countries may have a unique way of celebrating their New Year. Yet their celebrations all mark a new beginning, a fresh start, and a time to hope for many good things and blessings for life. “Chu’c Mu’ng Nam Mo’i” Your Travel Agent at St. Rita’s, Fr. Hoan Dinh
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