Ho Chi Minh University Foreign Language and Information

Technology
Name: Phạm Lan Thảo
ID number: 17DH712131
WHAT I DID LAST NEW YEAR’S EVE
New Year’s eve was one of the significant day which was a time to
celebrate the end of the year gone by and welcome to new year. It was
also the great time that we got more day off from work and study
therefore we had more time to spend with our families and our loved
one. Some people tend to reflect on the event that took place in their
lives in the past 12 months. There actually was many activities to
prepare for last year such as: bought new things, cleaned house, partied
with family and went to the pagoda.
One of the first activity was buy new thing which paid much
attention by many individuals. My family started the preparations for the
new year celebration many days earlier. Before the 23rd night, my
grandmother was go to market to purchase to prepare many traditional
custom such as five-fruit tray, rice… in order to offer a farewell
ceremony for kitchen god to go up to heaven palace who had task an
annual report to the ruler of heaven of the family's matters throughout
the year . Tet cusine was an extremely important event for my
family. During New Year’s eve , my mother was directly responsible for
all of the food Tet. I completely spent time with my mom move on the
new year market to buy the ingredient to prepare many special food
which made for Tet meal such as sticky rice cake ,vietnamese coconut
braised pork, pickled small leeks, aspic,… and a lot of confections and
preserved fruits like toasted watermelon seeds, dried candied fruits ..to
receive some guests came to my house. Because the market were
crowded with people, they also buy new clothes, furniture, … . and
many stores gave big discount for Tet .My mother said that i went to buy
vegetable, spice, sundry,…Mom bought the main ingredient to make the
traditional food .Then, I had a great memory in my home. In that night,
my grandmother and my mom used to impart me the step to make
“Chung cake”, how to stuff the basket with mung bean and layer of pork
meat, how to wrap the dong leaves to complete the basket. This was a
meaningful time for my family together and had intimate conversations
as well as showing our care for each other. While adults would sit in
front of the stove to watch over the cooker , my brother and nephew
would playing around the warm fire, telling stories of the old year and
wishing good wish for coming new year .However, I actually did not
forget going downtown to the shopping with my friends to buy many
beautiful dress, brand shoes, some clothes were neat clothes, bright and
brilliant colors such as red, yellow, pink, ... to symbolize optimism and
luck.However, I could not wear my new clothes until the first day of the
New Year and onward. The best outfit was always worn on the first day
of the year. Beside we hung out to purchase everything to prepare Tet
holiday, I needed to put my home in order support my family
The second activity, our family in country tend to have a habit
clean all house when new year arrived. At that time, all of member in
my family tried to come back home to prepare for Tet. My father was
probably responsible for difficult work in house such as repaint the wall,
repair a lot of things to have a mistake in my room, went to the flowers
market to choose flowerpot in corner of the yard. I and my father would
love to buy peach blossom tree to decorate our house on Tet holiday. He
decorated the altar with a trap full of fruits and flowers and usually
decorated bunch of apricot blossom in our living room. I used only red
fairy lights to decorate my peach blossom tree. I was in charge of
sweeping, scrubbing the bathroom and floor. It was a common belief
that cleaning the house will get rid of the bad fortunes associated with
the old year. Some people would paint their house and decorate with
flowers such as apricot blossom, peach blossom, marigold, kumquat
tree,… beside that, I was also to arrange and change in the interior of my
bedroom again such as bedspread, dressing table… as well as to hope
good things for coming new year. My mother had a hobby arrange
flowers to put everywhere bring into create an new year atmosphere in
my house. After we had clean to prepare everything, we just arranged
the party for the last day of the year
The next activity, The party of New Year’s Eve was the most
important moment of my family. Tet had no meaning if there is no
family reunion. Anyone want to have a better year and feels touched
when gathering with their beloved members of their families. It was the
time for my family stay together with barbecue and beer to share and say
goodbye the last dinner. This was also the time to strengthen and
maintain the traditional values for all member of my family. While
enjoying the party with the TV shows such as Tao Quan, music shows....
We also had great moment to contemplate beautiful firework shows in
terrace at the midnight. At that moment, my grandparents had a
conventional type which was go to the pagoda
The final activity, Pagoda is the symbol of peace, therefore
individual went there and pray for successive year. Vietnamese people
usually went to pagodas to pray for health, happiness ,… for the New
Year. Each year, I used to go with my parents come to pagoda in order
to wish good things like health, happiness, success luck and prosperity.
During Tet, i was often behave well and friends, relatives and neighbors
give each other best wishes for the new year.
In conclusion, I had a wonderful time go to the flowers market
buying some new things to prepare and also have experience to make
Chung cake with my mother. It was the great moment we tidied up the
furniture together as well as took care and supported to do each other. It
is an occasion to enjoy the festive atmosphere, all my young member of
family clustered round adults to celebrate the party, welcome to new
year and then we went to the pagoda to pray for health, happiness, luck.
We just saw off the old year , set up new plan for the next year and
remembered all the good things happened in this year