Mai Tran

Vietnamese New Year’s Extravaganza!

Every year I get to celebrate this holiday, and it’s amazing. Vietnamese New Year’s comes a month after the actual New Year’s is celebrated. Many Vietnamese people celebrate this and when I mean many well almost everyone. It’s a big holiday to us so we take it very seriously. Especially parents or elders because they want the kids to see and to be able to take on the same thing when they have their own families later on.

Knowing my family we like to start a week before cleaning the house, buying things, and making sure everything is nice and tidy. We believe that being clean is a nice way to start out the year. I usually forget to clean my room, I do it at the last minute yet I still pull through. Also my mom loves to get very exotic fruits they may look ugly and weird, but trust me they taste like heaven in your mouth (unless you’re allergic). My mom also buys bamboo plants because they’re “lucky” and the red pouches get placed onto the plant as well.

If you are curious what these red pouches are they usually have a design on them and inside of them is money. It can range to as much as the person placed in there. You receive this money if you are 18 or younger. So therefore if you are older than 18 you give out money which is pleasing to me, because I love money. When the holiday is over I spend my money or I keep it but the reason I choose to do it after the holiday is because it’s considered “lucky money”. In fifth grade I got about $450 I was so happy my mom even said, “I was never able to get that much as a kid.” Every year I receive and small sunflower plant with a cute pot on it from my grandma, and she adds red pouches to mine. My little brother gets his pouches separately; maybes he’s just not as important as me.  It makes me happy my grandma takes time and does that for me. The meaning of my name means “sunflower” so that’s the reason my grandma gives the plant on me each year.

As a kid I celebrated at the temple in Washington D.C because not only do I have family there not only but also it’s a very big place to enjoy this event. My favorite year would be last year, for it was so big, eye-catching, and I would say it was an extravaganza. My cousins and I were a part of the lion/dragon dance but we weren’t the lions. We had on silk dresses with different designs on and they also had pants with them; we were the leaders of the dance and guided the dancers through. I remember my cousin whispered in my ear “Mai my feet hurt already” and I replied “mine too lets go inside”. The dances went on for almost the whole night: different people did different dances or moves which were unbelievable. I got to play games with friends, and family, and I saw my uncles gambling. I don’t know what it is or if I’m lucky, but almost every game I participated in I won. Eventually I got the hang of it with the guide of my uncles, it and soon enough I reigned victorious taking the prize. I hung out with friends, ate Che, played around with little kids, lit lanterns let them off into the sky, and so much more.

Last year was the best year for me and I loved it. I hope this year outdoes itself and its better than the last one who knows. Spending time with my friends, family, and so many great people means a lot to me. They played a great role on me, not only do I hope to see them again but keep in contact with them. In the long run I’ll see them and many new people soon maybe in a few months.