In Vietnam, there are many festivals in a year such as Double Five festival, Mid-autumn festival, etc. Among them, the Luna New Year is the most important and popular holiday in these traditional festivals. This is a transitional period between old year and new year; is a occasion for everyone to commemorate ancestors, pilgrims and family reunions. Therefore, Vietnamese people need make a good preparation to welcome the New Year festival.

Preparation often begins a week before the actual celebration. At that time, everyone is busy buying some necessary items such as clothes, food, shoes, etc. In spring flowers market, people go to visit and choose their most satisfied flower pots. Peach blossom, kumquat, yellow daisy, apricot blossom, etc are flowers which are used to decorating in the traditional festival. Moreover, food is gotten ready; the traditional dishes get ready: square glutinous rice cake, pickled welsh onion, pie, chicken, spring roll and these confectioneries such as ginger jam, sugar-preserved lotus seeds, sweet, cake, etc. Everybody often cleans and decorates their house; their ancestral altar is tidied up. Vietnamese families have a tray of five fruits on their altar called five - fruits tray, including banana, orange, kumquat, pomelo and chili; each of which conveys a different meaning and is symbolic of happiness, luckiness, richness. The atmosphere of this festival is coming and people are animatedly to welcome spring time.

On the last day of the year, preparation for new year is completed. Families have a New Year’s Eve supper together and expect the New Year’s Eve. At the mid-night, everyone performs ritual offerings to the ancestor on New Year’s Eve. Then, they flock to pagoda to burn incense and to pick buds. As they want to bring luckiness for their family. After that, almost people often go to bed and hope their family will be many fun and luckiness in the New Year.

The first day of Tet is reserved for nuclear family. Children receive a red envelop containing money from their elders. Then, these families often warmly greet the first person enter their house. This act is called “ First - food”, which is one of the most important rituals during festival, During subsequent days, people visit relatives, friends and give these close relatives the traditional Tet greetings. This is a lucky, healthy, happy wish such as: “wish you a happy new year”, “wish you in security and good healthy”, etc. Traditionally but strictly, the first day of Tet is usually reserved for parents; the second day is for relatives and the third day is for teachers, who command respect in Vietnam. These others days, people are delighted to enjoy exciting games such as buffalo fight, chess, cock fight, etc. When the festival ends, people return their works, their study. However, these welcoming spring activities continue happening.

Luna New Year is the most important festival for Vietnamese people. These are funny and happy days that people prepare and welcome new year together. In addition, it is a wonderful occasion for Vietnamese families to reunite and remember their ancestors.

I live in Ho Chi Minh City, and Tet holiday in the city is very bustling occasion. Within a month before the Lunar New Year, the streets are very crowded, many people go out to do shopping and enjoy the holiday scenery. My parents are busy cleaning the house, and I am busy thinking about what to wear and where to go. Right after we have a break from school, my friends and I spend most of the time on Nguyen Hue Flower Street to take pictures. However, Nguyen Hue Street is not the only beautiful place, almost everywhere in the main streets are wonderful for people to have great pictures. They are beautifully decorated with bright lights, and the apricot blossom - the symbol of New Year's Day can be found everywhere. On New Year's Eve, my family and I watch fireworks from Sai Gon Bridge; we have to go there before nine o’clock to get a good spot. Early in the first morning of the year, we go to the pagoda to pray for peace and health, and then I accompany my parents to visit my grandparents and relatives. Tet is my favorite holiday because it is an occasion to enjoy the festive atmosphere, delicious food, and receive lucky money. I wish that Tet could last for a month.
Dịch:
Tôi sống ở thành phố Hồ Chí Minh, và ngày Tết ở thành phố là một dịp vô cùng nhộn nhịp. Trong một tháng trước ngày Tết, đường phố trở nên rất đông đúc, nhiều người ra ngoài để mua sắm và tận hưởng khung cảnh lễ hội. Bố mẹ tôi thì bận rộn với việc dọn dẹp nhà, còn tôi thì bận với việc suy nghĩ xem mình sẽ mặc gì và đi đâu chơi.Ngay sau khi được nghỉ lễ, tôi và các bạn dành hầu hết thời gian ra đường hoa Nguyễn Huệ để chụp hình.Tuy nhiên, Nguyễn Huệ không phải là nơi đẹp duy nhất, mà hầu như ở bất cứ đoạn đường chính nào cũng là nơi tuyệt vời để có những bức ảnh đẹp. Chúng được trang trí rất đẹp với những ánh đèn sáng rực, và hoa mai – biểu tượng của ngày Tết được tìm thấy ở khắp mọi nơi. Vào đêm giao thừa, tôi và gia đình đi xem pháo hoa ở cầu Sài Gòn, chũng tôi phải đến đó trước 9 giờ để có thể có được một vị trí đẹp. Sáng sớm ngày đầu tiên trong năm, chúng tôi đi chùa để cầu bình an và sức khỏe, sau đó tôi sẽ theo bố mẹ đi thăm ông bà và họ hàng. Tết là ngày lễ yêu thích nhất của tôi, vì đó là dịp để tận hưởng không khí lễ hội, thức ăn ngon và nhận tiền lì xì. Tôi ước gì tết có thể kéo dài suốt một tháng.

My favourite festival is Christmas. It celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ. It is an important festival in theWest. I love this festival because it brings a long holiday to us to enjoy ourselves.Every year before Christmas, my family and I buy some presents for relatives and friends. We decorate our house with a lot of festive decorations. We put up a Christmas tree in the living room and we decorate the tree with little angels, many beautiful bells and some little Santa Clauses. We also place a big star on top of the tree.On Christmas Eve, my sister and I put stockings beside our beds, and my parents secretly put some gifts inside the stockings. I will also put gifts secretly under the pillows of my parents to surprise them.During Christmas time, we have Christmas parties. I have parties with my family, relatives and friends. We prepare a lot of food such as turkey, Christmas cake, chicken wings and sausages. At the parties, I give Christmas cards to everyone and we exchange gifts with each other. Together we sing Christmas carols.
Christmas is fun. I love this festival very much.