Vietnamese New Year, known as Tết Nguyên Đán or simply Tết, is the most significant and widely celebrated holiday in Vietnam. It marks the beginning of the lunar calendar year and is a time for family reunions, honoring ancestors, and welcoming spring.

When is Vietnamese New Year?

Vietnamese New Year usually falls between January 21 and February 20, depending on the lunar calendar. It aligns with the Chinese Lunar New Year, occurring on the first day of the first lunar month.

The following is the list of Vietnamese New Year from 2020 to 2049.

The History of Vietnamese New Year?

The roots of Vietnamese New Year go back more than 4,000 years, originating from agrarian traditions in ancient Vietnam. Early Vietnamese communities celebrated the arrival of spring as a symbol of new life, agricultural renewal, and spiritual cleansing.

Influenced by Chinese cultural and calendrical systems, especially during periods of Chinese rule (111 BCE – 938 CE), Vietnamese New Year evolved in parallel with Chinese Lunar New Year but developed distinct Vietnamese customs.

In the pre-10th century, during Chinese domination, Vietnam adopted the lunisolar calendar, and Vietnamese New Year took shape as both a seasonal and spiritual event. Ancestor worship and respect for family elders became central to the holiday.

During the Ly, Tran, and Le Dynasties from 11th to 18th centuries, Vietnamese New Year became increasingly formalized, with imperial celebrations, royal offerings to ancestors, and court rituals. Vietnamese New Year marked the beginning of the official Vietnamese calendar year, and was a time for monarchs to grant pardons and issue edicts of renewal.

Druing the French Colonial Period from 19th to 20th centuries, Vietnamese New Year remained a resilient cultural symbol during French rule. The Vietnamese continued to celebrate it widely, often as a time of quiet resistance and cultural preservation.

After the reunification of Vietnam after 1975, Vietnamese New Year continued as a unifying national celebration. Though impacted by political and economic challenges in the 1970s – 80s, it remained the most sacred holiday for Vietnamese families.