Topic: Describe a festival or national holiday in your country

 When this period was

 What it was famous for
 Why you are interested in this area
Similar topics: Describe a historical period you would like to learn. Describe a historical
period of time that you are interested in
ANSWERS
Setting Most important holiday for Vietnamese people
Occurs in January or February
Reunion holiday
Description Everyone gets about 2 weeks off
Coming back to homeland: worship at the family
altar, visit graves
Food on Tet Holiday
Story The whole family will exchange greetings, decorate
the house, give lucky money, hang out on the streets
Feeling + Reasons An opportunity to be with family and loved ones
Avoid the hustle and bustle of the city
Forget the troubles of the old year to welcome the
cheery atmosphere of the festive season
Appreciate people around

Sample 01:

My favorite holiday is Tet – one of the most important national celebrations in Vietnamese culture. We
celebrate Tet annually in January or February in the Gregorian calendar and it is considered the biggest
occasion for family and friends’ reunions.

While Lunar New Year can be regarded as quite a cliché event to describe, I think there are still many
intriguing facets of it to mention. As Tet is the biggest celebration in Vietnam, schools and shops are often
closed and workers would get around 2 weeks of holiday. Vietnamese people usually return to their families
during Tết.

Some worship at the family altar or visit their ancestors’ graves in their homeland. What I love the most about
Tet is Tet food. We get to cook and make very special dishes like banh chung, banh giay or nem ran. Thanks to
the exquisite taste of these dishes, after Lunar New Year, I often gain a lot of weight. Other customs and
traditions that my family usually practice during Tết are quite exhilarating too.

We often exchange New Year’s greetings, decorate the house with apricot flowers or peach blossoms, give
lucky money to children and elderly people, or simply hang out on the streets to immerse myself in the
distinctive atmosphere of Tet.
Tet is my favorite festival because it is one of the rare occasions where I get to reunite with my relatives and
visit my grandparents. As we often return to our homeland during Tet holiday, it is a breath of fresh air from
the hustle and bustle of city life.

Tet is a break from work and an opportunity for us to forget our worries and troubles of last year, bask in the
warmth from friends and family’s company and enjoy the cheery, festive spirit. Thus, Tet teaches me to
appreciate the people around me, as well as the traditional festivals that are indispensable.

Sample 02:

I’m going to talk about Christmas, which is one of the most popular festivals in Vietnam. The festival lasts for 2
days, and it takes places on the 24th of December. Christmas is a celebration of Jesus Christ’s birth, and it is
the most expected occasion by Christians around the world in general and in Vietnam in particular…

People from other countries get days off from work but Christmas is not a national holiday in Vietnam, so we
still go to work on that day. Although, there has been some debates about whether the government should
recognize Christmas as a national holiday, I do not think these arguments will come to an end soon.

There are some common things that people do during this occasion, but I think the most popular activity is
that people decorate their houses with different decorations such as Christmas Tree, Fairy Lights, Snowman
and Wreaths. In addition, many well-known places in big cities are immersed in exciting and colorful tinsels
and cheerful melodies of Christmas songs. Another popular activity is that Vietnamese people are keen on
gathering for sharing big meals with their families and exchanging gifts.

The reason why I am a big fan of Christmas is the great atmosphere. I really enjoy the sense of anticipation
and excitement during the festival, and I also think it is a great time to nurture our souls and strengthen our
relationships with our loved ones.

Sample 03:

Canada is one of the most diverse and largest countries in the world, and the festivals there also go to reflect this
diversity of this country by attracting people from all religions, races and cultures. Today, I would like to talk
about one such festival, which is not only distinct from other festivals in my country but also is considered to be
a national festival in Canada.

The name of this festival is called “Canada Day”. Being celebrated every year on July 1st, Canada day is
considered to be a statutory holiday, meaning a large percentage of the population gets the day off and in turn,
many retailers, government offices, libraries, schools, and services shut down.

This festival takes place in order to mark the anniversary of the effective date of the constitution act of 1867
which eventually led to the formation of the union of the British North America provinces in a common
federation under the name of Canada. It is also worth mentioning that this Canada Day holiday is comparable to
the Fourth of July celebration in the U.S. but with slightly less ceremonious and on a more "Canadian" scale.

Anyway, on this day, most communities across the country host "organized celebrations" by holding outdoor
public events, such as parades, carnivals, festivals, barbecues, air and maritime shows, fireworks, and free
musical concerts, as well as citizenship ceremonies. However, it is also worth mentioning that there is no
standard mode of celebration for Canada Day, and the locus of the celebrations is the national capital, Ottawa,
Ontario, where large concerts and cultural displays are held on Parliament Hill in an event largely referred to as
the "Noon Show”.
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Anyway, this festival is important for me and people in my country mainly because it reminds us about a great
part of our history that eventually led to the independence of our country from its colonial masters after a long
political process. It is important also because it brings all our citizens together in order to develop a sense of
common unity and solidarity in all of them.

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SPEAKING PART 3
1. How do people in Vietnam value traditional festivals?

Oh, absolutely. In fact, I think we do take the word ‘value’ to a whole new level. Our country has over 8000
festivals every year, some of which are held at the national level, and some are only local celebrations.

No matter the scale, though, most Vietnamese go to great lengths to ensure that the traditional customs are
celebrated after meticulous planning and preparation. The elders also make a lot of efforts in passing down
the meanings and ceremonies involved in these festivals to the young generation.

2. What’s the difference between the ways festivals are celebrated now and in the past?

Ah, the differences are definitely profound. I couldn’t speak for everyone, but in Vietnam, festivals used to be
quite formal, and it is critical for everyone in the community to go through a multitude of steps and
celebratory ceremonies. With the development of the society comes drastic changes in the way people treat
festivals.

A lot of the rituals are no longer obligatory, and many people opt for traveling as a way to celebrate festivals. I
respect these changes, though I still sometimes miss the sheer joy that traditional ceremonies bring, despite
how busy I used to be during the festivals.

3. Do you think it is wrong for young people to not celebrate traditional festivals?

My stance would be determined by which traditional festivals these youngsters decide to not celebrate,
actually. So, as I have mentioned, in Vietnam, there are approximately 8000 festivals annually, and I don’t
think anyone should celebrate all those 8000 events, let alone young people who tend to be, quite literally,
snowed under with work.

However, there are celebrations whose importance is quite highlighted, such as Tet holiday, or Christmas. I
believe these festivals celebrate cultural heritage and traditions, and that they are an integral part in the
structure of our society. Without them, young people might lose the chance to form a deeper connection with
their family, community and even their backgrounds. Hence, it is in their best interest to not miss these
traditional festivals.

4. Do you think festivals are important?

I would say yes with any hesitation. Festivals are extremely important in any culture. They all provide us with
brilliant opportunities to express our gratitude to the country's forefathers and heroes.

Furthermore, festivals bring people time to get away from the hectic daily life and return to themselves as well
as their beloved ones, which, indeed, will bring a great deal of inspiration to anyone.

5. Do you think western festivals are replacing traditional festivals in Vietnam?

It is true that Western festivals are gradually becoming more popular and familiar in Vietnam, especially
among young people. However, we consider them to be for entertainment purposes only, while traditional
festivals are the cultural identity and pride of Vietnamese people.

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We have been colonized for thousands of years without being assimilated. Therefore, I can confidently say
that Western festivals will never be able to take over our traditional ones.

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VOCABULARY
Gregorian calendar (n): lịch Dương

cliché (a): rập khuôn

intriguing (a): thú vị

facet (n): khía cạnh

family altar (n): bàn thờ gia đình

ancestor (n): tổ tiên

exquisite (a): rất ngon, tuyệt hảo

exhilarating (a): phấn khích

immerse myself in (phr): đắm chìm trong

distinctive (a): đặc biệt, riêng có

hustle and bustle (phr): sự xô bồ

bask in (v): hưởng thụ

company (n): sự bầu bạn

indispensable (a): không thể thiếu

scale (n): cấp độ

go to great lengths (phr): cố gắng rất nhiều để làm điều gì đó

meticulous (a): cẩn thận, kỹ càng

pass down (v): truyền lại

profound (a): rõ rệt

formal (a): trang trọng

critical (a): cần thiết

unite (v): kết nối

a multitude of (phr): nhiều

celebratory ceremony (n): các dịp lễ kỷ niệm

drastic (a): rõ nét, lớn

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obligatory (a): mang tính bắt buộc

sheer joy (n): niềm hạnh phúc lớn

stance (n): quan điểm

approximately (adv): khoảng

literally (adv): hiểu theo nghĩa đen

snowed under with (phr): bận rộn

highlight (v): nhấn mạnh

cultural heritage (n): di sản văn hóa

integral (a): cần thiết, không thể thiếu

hence (): do đó

in one’s best interest (phr): vì lợi ích của ai đó

A big fan of: rất thích, là người hâm mộ lớn của

To immerse myself in: hòa mình vào

Let their hair down: thư giãn

My favorite festival of all time: lễ hội yêu thích nhất mọi thời đại của tôi

Replenish my batteries: nạp năng lượng

The sense of: cảm giác của

Hung King’s Funeral: giỗ tổ Hùng Vương

Mid-Autumn Festival: Trung thu

Lunar new year: Tết nguyên đán, tết âm lịch

Without a doubt: không còn nghi ngờ gì nữa

As I have mentioned: như tôi đã đề cập

Annual celebration: lễ kỷ niệm hàng năm

Family reunion: sự sum họp gia đình

Bring an abundance of celebratory activities: mang đến rất nhiều hoạt động kỷ niệm

Brilliant fireworks displays: những màn pháo hoa rực rỡ

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Traditional ritual: lễ nghi truyền thống

To give and receive Lucky money: trao và nhận lì xì

As a way of wishing them a healthy and prosperous new year: như một cách để cầu chúc họ một năm mới
an khang thịnh vượng

Pay homage to our ancestors: tỏ lòng thành kính với tổ tiên

Feast on: thưởng thức, ăn

Hold the meaning of a fresh start: mang ý nghĩa của một khởi đầu mới

Carry hope: mang theo hy vọng

Strengthen our bond with family and friends: thắt chặt mối quan hệ với gia đình, bạn bè

Express our gratitude to the country's forefathers and heroes: bày tỏ lòng biết ơn đối với những vị tổ tiên và
anh hùng của đất nước

Get away from the hectic daily life: thoát khỏi cuộc sống bận rộn thường ngày

Entertainment purpose: mục đích giải trí

Cultural identity: bản sắc văn hóa

Pride: niềm tự hào

Colonize: đô hộ

Assimilate: đồng hóa

Christmas: ngày lễ Giáng Sinh hay còn được gọi là Noel

Christmas Eve: đêm Giáng Sinh, thời điểm chúa sinh ra

Christmas Card: thiệp mừng Giáng Sinh

Christmas Tree: cây thông Noel

Santa Claus: tên gọi ông già Noel

Reindeer(n): tuần lộc kéo xe cho ông già Noel

Wreath(n): vòng hoa Noel treo trước cửa nhà

Fireplace(n): lò sưởi, trẻ treo tất để ông già Noel bỏ quà

Stocking(n): vớ dài đựng quà

Chimney(n): ống khói ông già Noel dùng để leo vào nhà

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Snowman(n): người Tuyết

Yule log: bánh kem có hình khúc cây

Turkey(n): gà Tây, món ăn truyền thống dịp Noel

Tinsel(n): dây kim tuyến

Gift(n): hộp quà

Ornament(n): các vật trang trí cây thông

Fairy Lights: dây đèn trang trí nhà cửa và cây thông

Ribbon(n): dây ruy băng

Gingerbread(n): bánh qui gừng, thường có hình người

Bell(n): chuông

Feast(n): bữa tiệc

Scarf(n): khăn quàng cổ