The family of Le Van Vinh, 53 years old, recently had a lovely Tet in the middle of a chilly England. After more than 30 years away from home, he has time each Tet to participate in ancient Tet traditions.

Vinh remembers growing up in poverty and how he and other less fortunate kids always looked forward to Tet. Because only during Tet holidays can kids enjoy delectable foods like banh chung, thịt đông (meat jelly), and mứt Tết (sugar-coated fruit).

After decades of being away from his hometown, Le Van Vinh still preserves his Vietnamese identity through the traditional Tet celebration. Vinh prepares ao dai for all family members, lucky money for children and grandchildren. Photo: Zing

He last spent Tet in Vietnam three years ago. This Tet had to be postponed until the summer of 2022, when Vinh took advantage of a brief period of pandemic stability to pay a visit to his homeland.

Vinh, who lives abroad, gives the Lunar New Year more consideration than the New Year. He frequently prepares peach blooms, apricot trees, kumquat trees, and many traditional meals to enjoy a full Tet.

Vinh initially had a lot of trouble cultivating apricots and kumquats in chilly climates. But after several failures, the Vietnamese father finally succeeded in planting these plants such that they would bloom in time for Tet.

On his YouTube channel, he discusses his adventures as well as tips for growing peaches and apricots in chilly climates. Many Vietnamese individuals living abroad are highly interested in him and pick up knowledge from him.

Vinh cooks Tet meals including spring rolls, banh chung, beef jelly, pickled onions, and other Vietnamese traditional foods in addition to fruits. On the Tet offering platter, there are nearly ten exquisite foods.

The Tet offering tray is full of traditional dishes of Vietnamese fathers living in the UK. Photo: Zing

"Tet overseas is a little different from Tet in Vietnam," said Vinh. The Vietnamese community only gathers to celebrate Tet together on weekends rather than as it is customary due to needing to earn a job.

We all attempt to teach the young generation born overseas about Tet culture when we are together.

Vinh makes an effort to preserve the customs and beauty of Tet with his family in addition to enjoying it with the Vietnamese community. He thoroughly fulfilled the Kitchen Gods' worshipping rites on New Year's Eve and the first three days of the Lunar New Year.

Going Home is preferable to New Year's Eve

Several decades ago, when communication technology was still in its infancy, Vinh sent handwritten letters to his parents on every Tet holiday. Because Vietnamese food was not yet widely available, his family was forced to temporarily eat foods from other nations.

Near Tet, descendants in Vinh's family often gather to make banh chung, cook sticky rice. Photo: Zing

The Vietnamese New Year is now simpler to observe overseas. People who are not at home have plenty of time to chat to their loved ones thanks to information technology, particularly during Tet.

Near Tet, descendants in Vinh's family often gather to make banh chung, cook sticky rice. Photo: Zing

Due to Vietnam's integration, Vietnamese citizens residing overseas now have access to domestic goods. Vietnamese living abroad in particular embraced the products for the annual Tet festival with open arms. Vietnamese stores sell a variety of jam cakes, spring rolls, banh chung, peaches, and kumquats during the Tet holiday.

Vietnamese living abroad who don't have time to be ready for Tet might simply fit in by buying during the customary Tet season. Personally, I enjoy setting up fruit trees and trays by myself for my forefathers. In order to create jam, pickles, and pickled onions outside of work hours, I frequently use the morning and evening, Vinh stated.

Vinh's descendants in the UK come together each year to pack banh chung, prepare spring rolls, sticky rice, dried bamboo shoots, and pickled onions. In addition, Vinh makes ao dai for himself and his family.

Vietnamese fathers wear ao dai on the first day of the new year to offer their children and grandkids good luck money. All of the kids that received the fortunate money expressed astonishment and inquired as to why they did. The kids were thrilled to hear about Tet customs after hearing the explanation.

Vietnamese individuals living overseas are eager to come home to be with their parents and other family members during the frantic Tet celebrations in the country.

"No matter where we reside, Vietnam remains the place where we were born and raised. We may easily celebrate Tet abroad, but the holiday is truly full when we return to our native country," Vinh said.

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