As previously mentioned, this past Sunday was not only Valentine’s Day but also the first day of the Lunar Year. On Saturday evening, my parents, aunt, uncle, grandmother and boyfriend sat down to a traditional Vietnamese New Year dinner. This was my first time being home for Tet since leaving for college some 7+ years ago. So it was a real treat to be with my family and to also teach Chris about our Tet traditions.
It was rather funny and challenging to actually explain these things to someone. I had to look up a few things, but how do you explain why the Vietnamese (and most Asians really) are so superstitious? They just are? How do you explain that money is an important part of Tet without making Vietnamese people sound superficial?
My summary of Tet for Chris was mainly that (1) red is important and symbolizes luck, (2) giving money to family [li xi] in red envelopes also symbolizes luck, (3) you have to be happy and nice to others or else you’ll have bad luck all year, (4) oh and you should eat lots because it’ll make you happy and will bring you good luck!
Not having celebrated Tet for seven years is quite a long time – especially when those years include college, living in seven different cities and five different countries. More than anything, it’s made me think about culture and tradition and what it all means to me. Being a Vietnamese-American or just being a first-generation born in the US (like those of any ethnic background) often makes me feel conflicted. I feel more American than Vietnamese. I lived in Vietnam during the summer of 2006, and I was treated like a foreigner. Yet I have a lot of respect for my family and our traditions, even if I don’t really celebrate them when I’m not home. In the end, I concluded this weekend that having traditions are good for any family. Whether it’s as basic as having Sunday dinner or holding the family’s annual sports challenge (complete with trophy) – it’s a reason for family to be together, eat well and share family stories.
Now for the name of this post – my mother the hostess. For as long as I can remember, my mom has wowed her guests with her flowers, her table settings and of course her food. She always has each course timed perfectly and with the help of my aunts – you’ll finish your meal and see that all the dishes have already been washed and the kitchen is spotless. This is something I am constantly working on despite the many small kitchens and apartments I’ve lived in. Nevertheless, I persevere and hope to be able to create dinner parties as beautiful as Mom’s – because, after all, taste is one thing but presentation brings it all together!
Below are photos from Christmas 2006 and this past weekend for Vietnamese New Year. Enjoy!
Christmas at Home 2006
(CLICK FOR MORE…)
a VU on Food 