Tet calendar hobby

Contains many values

According to Mr. Pham Chuc, Deputy Head of the Folk Arts Department (Provincial Literature and Arts Association), during the subsidy period, there were usually only block calendars. At this time, the calendar hanging background was also designed simply, usually with the words "Happy New Year" and the name of the zodiac animal of the year. Because it is an item that not everyone or every family has, those who have calendars cherish and respect it very much. Using block calendars is considered a hobby by many families. Every day that passes, the moment of tearing off a calendar page and waiting for new things from the next calendar page easily makes people more excited. Many people have the habit of keeping a few calendar pages associated with memories such as the birthdays of their children, the death dates of their grandparents, parents, etc.

A 1980s pocket calendar

From the 90s of the 20th century onwards, wall calendars have been popular with many people, divided into many types, 1-page calendars, 6-page calendars and 12-page calendars, also known as monthly calendars, quarterly calendars. Wall calendars are often printed and published by agencies and units. Most sectors such as the police, army, press, many businesses, localities... also have their own calendars to promote their activities. Each calendar can be an image of beautiful landscapes of the country such as The Huc bridge, One Pillar Pagoda (Hanoi), Trang Tien bridge (Hue), or famous actors of that time such as Diem Huong, Viet Trinh, Thu Ha... The materials, designs and models of the calendar are quite simple.

Small pocket calendars are also used by many people because of their convenience. In addition to information about solar and lunar dates, there is also information such as landline area codes of provinces and cities, flight routes, etc. Pocket calendars are carried by many people to record important milestones and events.

Satisfying tastes

Grasping consumer tastes, many calendar manufacturers have launched Tet calendar products imbued with national cultural identity, aiming at traditional cultural values ​​of Vietnamese people.

At the end of the old year and the beginning of the new year, many people still keep the habit of buying calendars to hang in their homes.

Mr. Nguyen Cong Se and his wife have been selling newspapers at the provincial post office gate for nearly 40 years. Mr. Se said: "In addition to newspaper publications, I also sell calendars. Therefore, I have witnessed changes in the design and material of calendars as well as the tastes of players". According to Mr. Se, today, with the development of printing and design technology, Tet calendar products are more beautiful, diverse in size and design. Many calendars aim to honor the cultural values ​​of Vietnamese people...

If the desk calendar represents simplicity, convenience and compactness, the block calendar represents elegance and politeness. The block calendar has two main parts including the calendar part and the block part, usually made of hard cover. The calendar part consists of 365 sheets corresponding to each day of the year, bound into a book so that users can tear them off gradually during use. The calendar displays the date, month and year according to both the solar and lunar calendars, showing the intersection between modernity and tradition. The calendar also provides information about special events, major holidays, life mottos, folk songs, proverbs, idioms... In addition, pictures and images of famous landscapes of the homeland and the country are added to decorate the calendar to make it more vivid and beautiful. Block calendars contain a lot of content, so when designing, the calendar must look beautiful and balanced. Every small detail is meticulous and must be accurate. The decorative images are also carefully selected.

In recent years, the block part has been designed and presented more elaborately and meticulously with stylized words such as Tai, Loc, Phuc, etc. Because the block part is durable and beautiful, when the year ends, many people still keep it and only replace the calendar part. Many units and businesses have ordered block calendars with their own imprints bearing the business brand and name, becoming gifts for staff, employees, partners, customers, and some calendars are designed as a product for interior decoration.

The 2023 Lunar New Year calendar costs from 250,000-750,000 VND/block calendar, from 45,000-100,000 VND/desk calendar, equivalent to the 2022 Lunar New Year calendar. The designs of the 2023 Lunar New Year calendar still focus on the themes of landscapes, calligraphy, and nature. The 2023 Lunar New Year calendar market is marked by a number of unique calendars. That is the "National Treasure" calendar set by the Truth National Political Publishing House with images of 238 national treasures that have been recognized and ranked. In addition, two other sets of this publisher, "Country seen from the sea" and "Great unity of 54 Vietnamese ethnic groups", are also highly appreciated and loved by many people. This year's Tet calendar market also recorded many special calendar models of An Hao Company Limited such as the Truyen Kieu block calendar set including 365 illustrations for 3,254 Kieu verses.

In the last days of the year, the newspaper and calendar stall of Mr. Nguyen Cong Se and his wife is crowded with people coming to buy calendars. Mrs. Dao Thi Chuyen in Binh Han ward (Hai Duong city) said: "Although now it is easy to see the date via phone, every year I still buy a calendar to hang in my house. It is no longer simply to see the date and month, the calendar also brings knowledge about culture, history...".

HUYEN TRANG