Vietnamese children in the UK wear ao dai. (Photo: VN Express)

On the morning of December 22 in the lunar calendar, the temperature in Gloucester dropped to minus 1 degree Celsius, yet the peach blossom flowers in Vinh Le's house were still blooming, ready to welcome Tet.

As a custom, whenever his relatives in Vietnam start preparing for Tet, in the UK, nail salon owner Vinh Le and his wife begin their Tet shopping. This year, Vinh made 30 banh chung, and 20 sausages, both for his family and his Vietnamese friends in the UK.

Vinh Le's Tet decoration. (Photo: VN Express)

Vinh Le's Tet decoration. (Photo: VN Express)

Vinh said he celebrated the first Tet away from Vietnam when he was 18 years old. Hearing the sound of firecrackers and people wishing each other a happy new year inside the wire fences of a refugee camp in Hong Kong, the man burst into tears.

"It is a memory I will never forget. I told myself when leaving the camp, no matter how difficult life is, I will never forget Tet in my hometown," recalled Vinh Le, 51 years old.

When he settled down in the UK, the man did all kinds of jobs to provide his family with a warm Tet. He manages to practice Vietnamese customs so that his children are well connected to their roots.

(Photo: VN Express)

(Photo: VN Express)

His wife, Khanh Do, 45 years old said: "I am also an expatriate Vietnamese, so I am very supportive of my husband's decision. Even though we do not live in the homeland, my children and grandchildren can speak Vietnamese well and are familiar with the culture."

When Vinh first came to the UK, he struggled to find Vietnamese food. He had to ask his relatives to send him seeds of Vietnamese vegetables to grow. His garden now has more diverse kinds of homeland vegetables than the nearby Vietnamese market.

Years ago, Vinh had to buy Tet decorations and food from Chinese stores. The dishes looked similar to Vietnamese ones but lacked the homeland's flavor. He then taught himself to make sugar-coated ginger, coconut, carrot, and other Tet dishes.

He even grows peach blossom trees. However, due to the UK's low temperature, he has to put much effort into taking care of his trees. From a spindly tree trunk, the tree is now covered with flowers.

"I share my experiences with the overseas Vietnamese. Thanks to that, when Tet comes, they do not have to buy peach blossoms" Vinh said.

(Photo: VN Express)

(Photo: VN Express)

Vinh keeps the habit of giving Tet gifts to friends in the UK like Vietnamese people often do. "At first, people laughed at me because I live in a foreign land, so I do not have to keep Vietnamese customs. But I keep going on because I want them to think more about Tet," Vinh said.

Dinh Pham, a friend of Vinh's, said he has received a pair of banh chung and a bottle of wine every year from Vinh Le for more than 20 Tet.

"I'm nearly ten years older than him, and I am a nostalgic person who always looks toward to his homeland, but even I get surprised by his affection for his countrymen and culture," he said.

On Lunar New Year's Eve, Vinh's family watches Vietnamese programs on the television while preparing dishes to put on the ancestors' altar. Then, he lights incense and kneels down to pray to his ancestors. His family then enjoy the dishes they prepare, gives the children lucky money, and calls their relatives in Vietnam, wishing them a happy new year.

Over the years, Vinh Le and the Vietnamese in the UK have held a Lunar New Year Festival on the first Sunday of the new year so that the second and third-generation children can enjoy the Tet atmosphere.

"I only hope to have enough health and peace to celebrate Tet every year like we were in our homeland," he said.

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