Hanoi sparkles with vibrancy and cheer during Lunar New Year festivities. The capital city of Vietnam ushers in the new year with bright decorations, bustling street markets, generous feasts, and warm family reunions. Hanoians ring out the old and welcome the new under a blanket of festive lights and upbeat ambiance.
Decorative Lanterns and Lively Markets
As Lunar New Year approaches, Hanoi dresses up for the big celebration. Vibrant red and gold lanterns are hung outside homes, businesses, temples, and along busy streets. Intricate paper decorations depicting the zodiac animal adorn shops and restaurants. The Old Quarter near Hoan Kiem Lake becomes even livelier as hordes of people crowd the pedestrian streets, visiting temples, shopping at the night market, and soaking up the energetic atmosphere.
Festive goods and decorative items are sold at the hundreds of stalls lining the streets. Treasured festive snacks like sticky rice cakes stuffed with mung bean or sweet coconut fillings fly off shop shelves. The tantalizing smells of street food like grilled meat skewers, sweet taiyaki fish-shaped cakes filled with custard, and the quintessential Vietnamese dish phở waft through the cool winter air. Well-wishes of “Chúc Mừng Năm Mới!” or “Happy New Year!” echo down alleyways strung with glittering lights. The exciting buzz permeates the city – Hanoi is ready to celebrate.
Reunion Feasts Overflow with Auspicious Dishes
At the heart of every Lunar New Year celebration is the reunion dinner on New Year’s Eve. This much-anticipated feast overflows with symbolic dishes meant to usher in luck, prosperity, health and happiness for the coming year. Hanoian families gather with parents, siblings, relatives and close friends to enjoy this bountiful meal that goes on for hours.
It is Hanoian tradition to prepare dishes using ingredients that sound similar to Vietnamese words meaning “to prosper.” For example, nem ran or fried spring rolls resemble the word for prosperity when spoken in a northern accent. Other fortuitous foods include thịt kho tàu or braised pork belly, gà luộc or boiled chicken, dưa hành or pickled onion, and măng khô chiên giòn or crispy fried dried bamboo shoots. Auspicious fruits like yellow apricots and red and green candied lotus seeds adorn dining tables.
No Lunar New Year feast is complete without bánh chưng. The iconic sticky rice cake stuffed with pork and mung bean fillings, then wrapped beautifully in dong leaves and boiled for hours to perfection. This labor-intensive cake only made during this time of year, as legend tells that its square shape mimics primeval rice fields and its green leaf wrapping symbolizes the earth. Every component echoes wishes for a productive harvest and prosperity for all. For many Vietnamese, no Lunar New Year memory is as treasured as gathering with family on a cold winter night to make these cakes by hand.
Best Wishes Accompany Generous Gifts
Lunar New Year is not just a time for feasting – it is also the biggest gift-giving occasion in Vietnam. Children eagerly await red envelopes stuffed with lucky money from elders. Close-knit families exchange pre-holiday gifts like food, wine, fruits and candies to show care and appreciation. Colleagues gift each other office supplies, teas, or fashion accessories to spread holiday cheer at work.
Bánh chưng cakes are frequently given as meaningful presents that embody quintessential Vietnamese culture. Sharing these handmade sticky rice cakes strengthens bonds between the giver and receiver. For many Vietnamese overseas, receiving a bánh chưng from family back home stirs up nostalgia and affection for their motherland.
No gift expresses blessing better than a pair of preserved peaches, which sound like the words for “long life” in the Hanoi accent when spoken together. Smooth yellow mai flowers, kumquats and golden dưa hành pickled onions also make frequent appearances as symbolic gifts. Their bright colors and intact circular shapes reflect wishes for prosperity and completeness in the year ahead.
Valuable moments with loved ones
Friends send each other flowering quince branches carefully cultivated to bloom right on New Year. The bright yellow hue signifies wealth while the seasonal timing represents renewed beginnings. Alongside these branches, bottles of Ruou Thuc wine brewed from glutinous rice are gifted. Close friends share this sweet fermented drink while expressing hopes for sweet togetherness in the future. Through gifts that speak in cultural metaphors, the message “Chúc mừng năm mới!” conveys a thousand blessings.
To summarize, Hanoi is the place to experience Vietnam’s vibrant and meaningful Lunar New Year festivities. Decorative lanterns, lively street markets and bustling crowds set a festive backdrop for this major celebration centered around generous feasting and thoughtful gift-giving. The dishes served, presents exchanged and well-wishes shared all symbolize hopes for an auspicious and prosperous year ahead. With its rich culture and lively charm, Hanoi brings great cheer, delicious abundance and wonderful company to welcome each New Year.
If you are in Vietnam and interested in discovering more about Hanoi – the capital and its significance, we invite you to join us at Free Walking Tours Hanoi. We’ll take you across the building, and provide you with a unique perspective of the city. Book now and don’t miss out on this amazing experience.
