Western New Year is more attractive than Vietnamese New Year?

"What are you going to do this Tet?" is a familiar question every year-end. With Western New Year, the answer is often wrapped up in a few simple plans: gathering friends, organizing a party, or even taking a short vacation. But when it comes to Vietnamese New Year, many people sigh: "Oh, I have to clean the house, shop, and meet relatives again."

In recent years, there has been a distinct difference in the way these two holidays feel. Why is that? Why does a traditional New Year make many people feel pressured today?

Perhaps, the Western New Year is attractive because it is simple. It does not require too much preparation, nor does it require complicated rituals. A year-end evening only needs a small banquet table, a few familiar people, and a countdown moment.

What about Tet? It seems that just mentioning it brings up a long list of things to do: cleaning the house, shopping, cooking, visiting...

Some people spend a whole week cleaning their house, buying all kinds of cakes and fruits, and preparing traditional dishes, and on New Year's Eve, they just want to lie down on the couch because they are so tired.

But that's not all. Tet holidays also bring with them a series of invisible pressures: meeting relatives, facing questions like "When will you get married?", "When will you have children?", "How much is your monthly salary?".

The cost of Tet is also a big issue. Some people have to spend nearly three months of salary just to prepare for Tet. Money for gifts, lucky money, travel..., all of it is like a heavy burden on the shoulders. For young families, considering between preserving customs and saving money often puts them in a difficult position.

But looking deeper, this change is not necessarily anyone's fault. Modern life drags people into a whirlwind of work, study, and responsibilities. Rest time becomes a luxury, making Tet - which is supposed to be a time for reunion - turn into 101 types of pressure.

The introduction of Western culture also contributed to reshaping the concept of Tet, when young people saw it as no different from a normal holiday.

Unfortunately, many traditional values ​​have not been passed down completely. Images of grandparents telling stories about Tet in the past, or the whole family gathering around a pot of banh chung are becoming increasingly rare. When memories and experiences are gone, the meaning will fade.

How can we make Tet not become a "burden"? My neighbor has a very gentle way of celebrating Tet. She doesn't force her children and grandchildren to clean every corner of the house, nor does she ask anyone to prepare elaborate feasts.

She said: "Tet, the important thing is to gather together. What's the point of material things, as long as it's cozy." That saying sounds simple, but it contains a philosophy that not many people can do. Tet is not to show off with a full feast, but for everyone to be close and share.

If we can simplify complicated rituals and retain what is truly meaningful, such as ancestor worship and giving lucky money, Tet will become closer to modern life.

Western New Year or Vietnamese New Year, after all, are both occasions for us to temporarily stop the hustle and bustle of daily life and spend time with ourselves and our loved ones. The difference lies only in how we perceive and organize it.

If we know how to balance between tradition and modernity, between customs and simplicity, Tet will certainly no longer be a burden, but will return to its true meaning as a season of reunion and love.