People around the world celebrate the New Year, the time to say goodbye to the past and think about new beginnings.
In Europe and the United States, New Year’s day is observed on the 1st of January. The beginning of spring is a logical time to start a new year.
People get together with their family and friends on December 31. They eat, drink and dance on New Year’s Eve, then welcome January 1 at midnight.
Western people make New Year’s resolution, which means making promises to themselves to make changes in their live over the coming year.
In many Asian countries, people also celebrate the Lunar New Year, “Tet” in Vietnamese, in the early February.
Japan
France
America
Latin America
AROUND THE WORLD
China
South Korea
Tying a New Years wish
Lunar New Year, or Tet, is Vietnamese main holiday. It’s the grandest, most important occasion in the year. Being observed in the first month of the lunar calendar, this festival falls sometimes between 19 January and 20 February on Western calendar. Tet’s preparation and celebration used to be spread over months. Streets are decorated with colored lights and red banners. People are busy buying gifts, cleaning and decorating their houses with plants and flowers, as well as cooking traditional foods.
“Giao Thua”: As midnight approaches, all eyes maintain a close look on clocks and watches. The Giao Thua ritual occurs at that most sacred moment in time, every Vietnamese family whispers similar fervent prayers. Bells ring, drums beat in temples and fireworks sparkle.
According to the Vietnamese Zodiac, each year has its own animal to symbolize. Those animals are: mouse, buffalo, tiger, cat, dragon, snake, horse, goat, monkey, chicken, dog and pig.
Flowers in these days are multiform and colorful. Peach blossom is traditional at Tet in North, while apricot blossom is more common in the South. The kumquat tree with its ripe deep orange fruits and red watermelons are popular throughout the country.

People exchange New Year’s wishes, go to pagoda or church to pray for a happy year for themselves and their family. Children enthusiastically receive their “lucky money” inside red envelopes. Everyone takes part in games such as playing cards, sea-horse chess,…
The Kitchen God (Ong Tao or Mandarin Tao), who is also called the Hearth God, the Stove God or the Household God, returns to Heaven to make his report to the Emperor. This report includes the year`s activities of the household in which he has lived. On the 23rd day of the 12th month, a farewell and thank you dinner is given to the Kitchen God by the household.
Significance of days
First Morning or Head Day is reserved for the nuclear family. Family members get together and celebrate with the husband`s parents. Children anticipate a ritual called Mung Tuoi, with both arms folded in front of their chest in respect, they thank their grandparents for their birth and upbringing. Reciprocally, the grandparents will impart words of advice or wisdom to their grandchildren, encouraging them to study seriously, to live in harmony with others.
The second day of Tet is for visiting the wife`s family and close friends. Everyone is out on the street parading around in their new clothes.
The third day of Tet, the circle of connections becomes larger and is extended to the broader community outside the family by visits to teachers, bosses,…The connections to the world beyond the family can take place. The "first footer"_or “xong dat” is an auspicious guest who is considered to be good luck for the family. The person, believed to capable of promoting the fortune of the household in the following year, is usually someone healthy, successful and prosperous. Some Vietnamese lock their doors to all chance visitors until after the visit of the chosen "first footer."
SPECIAL FOODS
It originated from St. Valentine, a Roman who was martyred for refusing to give up Christianity. He died on February 14, 269 A.D., the same day that had been devoted to love lotteries and he became the patron saint of lovers
St. Valentine
To lots of people, Valentine`s Day means a big heart-shaped box of chocolate candy. Almost everybody loves to eat chocolate & it becomes the sweetest thing in that day
Chocolate and valentine gift
Valentine gift
In popular culture Cupid is frequently shown shooting his bow to inspire romantic love, often as an icon of Valentine`s Day. If Cupid`s arrow hits you, you will fall hopelessly and madly in love with the next person you meet of the opposite sex
There are too much Valentine customs. Today, couples have more lovely ideas to express their love massages. Anyway, the meaning of Valentine is love and be love
In Scotland custom, the first opposite sex come across you on the street in or anywhere in valentine day will be your lover
Colors connected closely to Valentine are red, pink & white. Pink represents for the elegant. Red symbolizes for passionate, for heart. And the purity, the honest between lovers is the meaning of white

Around the world
Japan
Thai
Jordan
Around the world
Irag
Kiev
Vietnam
Thanksgiving, which is a traditional North American holiday, is a form of harvest festival. It’s held in the Second Monday in October (Canada) and the Fourth Thursday in November (U.S)
In 1621, the Plymouth colonists and Wampanoag Indians shared an autumn harvest feast which is acknowledged today as one of the first Thanksgiving celebrations. Throughout the Americas, celebrations of thanks have held great meaning and importance over time. The legacy of thanks, and particularly of the feast, have survived the centuries as people
The first Thanksgiving
Our modern Thanksgiving repasts are roast turkey, vegetable dishes, or many different meats for the pilgrims`s feasts.
To plus the point of the meal is to reflect upon/be thankful for the things that have passed over the last year. Guests may be asked to say grace or if not of the same religion as the host to bow his head in respect.

Halloween, or Hallowe’en,
is a holiday celebrated
on the night of
October 31.

a Halloween party in Blarney, Ireland, in 1832
Candy Apple
the Halloween greeting card from 1904
Halloween has its origins in
The ancient Celtic festival, known
as Samhain. Samhain is a celebration of the end of the harvest season in
Gaelic culture.

Halloween activities
include trick-or-treating,
ghost tours, bonfires,
costume parties,
visiting "haunted houses",
reading scary stories
and watching horror
movies.

The carved pumpkin, lit by a candle inside, is one of the Halloween`s most prominent symbols in America.

Trick-or-treating

Halloween costumes are
traditionally those of
monsters such as ghosts,
skeletons, witches, and
devils. Costumes are also
based on other themes
than traditional horror. They can be those of characters
from television shows,
movies and other pop
culture icons.
HAPPY
HALLOWEEN
Christmas is hold on December 24th in around the world to celebrate the arrival of the man called Jesus in Catholicism
The character Santa Clause, connected closely to this festival, is described as a white-bearded benevolent old man who comes to every house to give presents to dutiful kids
The legend of Santa Claus can be traced back hundreds of years to a monk named St. Nicholashe, who gave away all of his inherited wealth and traveled the countryside helping the poor and sick. Nicholas`s popularity spread and he became known as the protector of children and sailors.
Christmas includes: decorating Christmas trees, Christmas puddings, carols, cards, meaningful presents, everywhere full of colorful lights and warmness,…
CHRISTMAS TREES
Foods
DECORATIONS
OTHER CELEBRATIONS
KING HUNG’S DEATH ANNIVAERSARY
One of the Vietnamese traditional celebration
It’s hold on March 10th of the lunar calendar.
In 1904
KING HUNG’S DEATH ANNIVAERSARY
On this celebration, people prepare much offerings to donate in King Hung‘ temple. Most of the schools in VN also organize this celebration. The famous saying is usually talked in this day: “Du ai di nguoc ve xuoi, nho ngay gio To mung muoi thang Ba
Du ai buon ban gan xa, nho ngay gio To thang Ba mung muoi ”
MID-AUTUMN FESTIVAL
It’s one of the most popular family holidays-also called the Children’s festival, held on 15th day of the 8th lunar month
At this time, the moon is at its fullest and brightest making an ideal time to celebrate the abundance of summer’s harvest
MID-AUTUMN FESTIVAL
“Trung Thu’s” activities are often centered around children: parents buy lanterns for their children so that they can participate in a candlelit lantern procession, other activities include arts and crafts in which children make face masks and lanterns
Like the Chinese, Vietnamese parents tell their kids fairy tales and serve mooncakes and other special treats under the silvery moon
NATIONAL DAY/ INDEPENDENT DAY
Each country has it’s own national day.
This celebration is held to commemorate the good turn of Ho Chi Minh president (Uncle Ho’s) _ the first successful one among people who try to find out the way to save our country from reigning of the colonialism. He read the declaration of independence to announce that Vietnam is a independent socialist republic country on September 2nd and it has been regard as National day
In VN, everyone will have a day-off in that day and all the national flags will be out everywhere.
VIETNAMESE TEACHER’S DAY
A day for Vietnamese students show their deep gratitude to their teachers
It’s yearly hold on November 20th
Almost students buy bundles of flower, cards with wishes,.. to present teachers.
This event is usually conducted at school decorated with colorful flags, balloons,…

It is a meaningful celebration since it makes teacher & students become closer, teachers also love their career much more