*12 Vietnamese New Year Taboos to Avoid During Tet
1. Avoid Giving Fire or Water Away on New Year's Day
In traditional Vietnamese culture, fire and water symbolize important aspects of life and prosperity. Fire represents warmth, energy, and good fortune, while water is associated with wealth and abundance. For this reason, some Vietnamese people avoid giving fire or water away on the first day of the lunar new year. In the past, giving someone fire could mean handing over a flame from the household stove, while giving water might involve sharing water from a household supply. According to folk beliefs, giving these things away could symbolically send good luck or wealth out of the home.
What it means: This custom reflects the traditional desire to preserve good fortune and abundance within the household at the beginning of the year.
Modern families may not observe this taboo, especially when everyday convenience takes priority.
2. Avoid Breaking Objects
Breaking dishes, glasses, bowls, or other household items is traditionally considered an unfavorable sign during Tet. In Vietnamese folk beliefs, broken objects can symbolize separation, conflict, or the end of a relationship. Because the new year represents a fresh beginning, people generally prefer to avoid anything that might symbolize misfortune. If something breaks accidentally, there is no need to panic. The belief is a cultural superstition, not a prediction of what will happen during the year.
What it means: Avoiding broken objects symbolizes the hope for harmony, stability, and lasting relationships in the coming year.
3. Avoid Swearing, Insulting Others, or Saying Unlucky Words
Words are considered especially meaningful during the first days of Tet. Many Vietnamese people try to speak politely, maintain a cheerful attitude, and exchange positive wishes. Swearing, arguing, insulting others, or talking about death, illness, failure, and other unfortunate subjects may be avoided because people believe that negative words can set an unfavorable tone for the new year. Instead, families and friends exchange wishes for happiness, good health, success, and prosperity.
What it means: This tradition encourages people to begin the year with kindness, optimism, and peaceful relationships.
4. Avoid Borrowing Money, Lending Money, or Demanding Repayment
Money-related customs are another important part of traditional Tet beliefs. Some Vietnamese people avoid borrowing money, lending money, or demanding repayment of debts on the first day of the lunar new year. Borrowing money may be associated with financial difficulty throughout the year, while lending money or collecting debts may be seen as a symbolic way of allowing wealth to leave the household or starting the year with conflict. For this reason, some people prefer to settle outstanding debts before Tet whenever possible.
What it means: The custom reflects the hope for financial stability, abundance, and a prosperous year ahead.
This is a traditional belief, not a universal rule. Many people continue to manage their finances normally during the holiday.
5. Avoid Sweeping the House or Taking Out the Trash on the First Day
One of the best-known Vietnamese New Year taboos involves sweeping the floor and taking out the trash on the first day of Tet. According to a traditional belief, sweeping the house may symbolically sweep away good luck, wealth, and prosperity that have just entered the home. Taking out the trash may be interpreted in a similar way. That is why many families thoroughly clean their homes before Tet begins. Some then avoid sweeping or removing household waste on New Year's Day, or postpone these activities until later. Practices differ between families and regions, so this is not a universal custom.
What it means: Cleaning before Tet prepares the home for a fresh start, while avoiding sweeping on the first day symbolizes keeping good fortune inside.
6. Avoid Staying Overnight at Someone Else's House During the First Days of Tet
In some families, people traditionally prefer to stay in their own homes during the first days of the lunar new year rather than spend the night elsewhere. This belief is sometimes connected to the idea that the beginning of the year establishes a pattern for the months ahead. Leaving home or staying elsewhere may be interpreted by some as a symbol of instability or separation from one's household. However, this custom is not widely observed by everyone. Many Vietnamese people travel to visit relatives, stay with family members, or take vacations during Tet.
What it means: The tradition reflects the importance of family unity, household stability, and starting the year in a peaceful home.
7. Be Mindful of Who Enters the House First on New Year's Day
The Vietnamese tradition of xong dat, or first-footing, refers to the first person who enters a home after the lunar new year begins. Some families believe that this person's personality, fortune, character, or circumstances may influence the household's luck for the coming year. As a result, they may invite someone they consider successful, kind, healthy, or fortunate to be the first visitor. In some households, a person who is grieving a recent loss may be asked not to be the first person to enter the home because of traditional associations between mourning and misfortune. This belief can be sensitive. It does not mean that a grieving person is unlucky or unwelcome in general. Many families do not follow this custom, and modern attitudes increasingly emphasize compassion and inclusion.
What it means: First-footing symbolizes the hope that the new year will begin with happiness, prosperity, and positive energy.
8. Avoid Wearing Only Black or White for Festive New Year Celebrations
Colors can carry symbolic meanings during Tet. Red, yellow, pink, and other bright colors are often associated with happiness, good fortune, wealth, and celebration. In traditional Vietnamese mourning customs, black and white may be associated with grief or funerals. For that reason, some people prefer not to wear these colors as their main clothing choices during festive New Year visits. However, black and white are not universally forbidden during Tet. Many people wear them as part of their everyday outfits, and modern fashion choices are diverse.
What it means: Wearing bright colors is a way to express optimism and welcome a joyful beginning to the year.
9. Avoid Cutting Your Hair or Fingernails on the First Day
Some Vietnamese people avoid cutting their hair or fingernails during the first day of the lunar new year, and others extend this practice to several days. According to folk beliefs, cutting parts of the body at the beginning of the year may symbolically represent cutting away good fortune, health, or prosperity. Many people therefore arrange haircuts and nail care before Tet so they can avoid these activities during the holiday. This belief is not shared by everyone, and there is no scientific evidence that cutting your hair or nails affects your luck.
What it means: The custom expresses a desire to preserve good fortune and begin the year without symbolic losses.
10. Avoid Certain Foods Believed to Bring Bad Luck
Food is central to Vietnamese New Year celebrations, and many dishes carry symbolic meanings. Some foods are associated with good fortune, while others are avoided by certain families because of their names, colors, shapes, or traditional associations. Depending on the region and family, examples of foods sometimes avoided during particular days of Tet include:
• Duck meat: In some Vietnamese folk beliefs, eating duck at the beginning of the year is associated with bad luck or a lack of success.
• Squid: Some people avoid squid because of the expression đen như mực, which means "as black as squid ink" and is used to describe bad luck.
• Certain dishes associated with misfortune: Some families avoid foods they believe symbolize loss, failure, or undesirable outcomes.
These beliefs vary considerably across Vietnam. Foods that one family avoids may be enjoyed by another, and there is no single list of forbidden Tet foods that applies to everyone.
What it means: Food taboos reflect the Vietnamese tradition of using symbolic meanings to express hopes for a fortunate year.
11. Avoid Wasting Food or Throwing Away Food Carelessly
Vietnamese New Year meals often represent abundance, family togetherness, and gratitude for the year's blessings. Because of this, some families consider wasting food during Tet undesirable. Leaving large amounts of food uneaten or throwing away food carelessly may be seen as disrespectful to the effort involved in preparing the holiday meal or symbolically ungrateful for the household's abundance. This is better understood as a value encouraged by some families than as a strict superstition followed by all Vietnamese people.
What it means: Avoiding food waste reflects gratitude, respect for food, and the wish for a year of plenty.
A practical approach is to serve reasonable portions, share food with relatives, and store leftovers safely.
12. Avoid Activities Considered Unlucky at the Beginning of the Year
Beyond specific taboos, some Vietnamese families try to avoid activities they believe may symbolize hardship, conflict, or loss during the first days of Tet. Depending on the family, these may include:
• Arguing with family members or neighbors.
• Crying or deliberately creating an unhappy atmosphere.
• Being careless with valuable belongings.
• Starting the year with unnecessary conflict or negative behavior.
• Engaging in actions that symbolize loss, failure, or financial trouble.
Not every family interprets these customs in the same way. The underlying idea is that the first days of the year should be peaceful, hopeful, and harmonious.
What it means: These traditions encourage people to begin the year with a positive mindset, thoughtful behavior, and consideration for others.
*12 Positive Things Vietnamese People Do to Welcome the New Year
While Tet includes various taboos, it is also a celebration of hope, renewal, gratitude, and family connections. Many Vietnamese people observe positive traditions to welcome good fortune and start the year on a joyful note.
1. Wear New Clothes in Bright Colors
Wearing new clothes during Tet symbolizes renewal, a fresh beginning, and the hope for a better year. Bright colors, especially red and yellow, are popular because they are associated with good fortune, happiness, and prosperity. Children often receive new outfits, and families may dress up when visiting relatives or attending festive gatherings.
2. Exchange Kind Words and New Year Wishes
Vietnamese people commonly greet one another with wishes for good health, happiness, success, and prosperity. Common Vietnamese New Year wishes include:
• Chúc Mừng Năm Mới - Happy New Year.
• An Khang Thịnh Vượng - Wishing you peace, good health, and prosperity.
• Vạn Sự Như Ý - May everything go your way.
• Sức Khỏe Dồi Dào - Wishing you excellent health.
Exchanging good wishes helps create a warm atmosphere and reinforces the importance of kindness and positive relationships.
3. Open the Doors to Welcome Good Fortune
Some families associate opening the doors or welcoming visitors with inviting good luck, prosperity, and positive energy into the home. The symbolism is especially meaningful after the household has been cleaned and decorated before Tet. This does not mean that every Vietnamese family performs a specific door-opening ritual. Rather, it reflects the broader idea of welcoming the new year with openness and optimism.
4. Visit a Pagoda or Temple to Pray for Peace
Visiting a Buddhist pagoda or another place of worship is a common Tet activity for many Vietnamese people. Visitors may pray for health, peace, family happiness, success, or protection in the coming year. Some also make offerings, light incense where permitted, or participate in religious and cultural activities. Not all Vietnamese people are Buddhist or religious, so this practice depends on personal beliefs and family traditions.
5. Give Lucky Money in Red Envelopes
Giving lucky money, known as li xi, is one of the most recognizable Vietnamese Tet traditions. Adults commonly give children red envelopes containing money as a wish for good health, happiness, growth, and good fortune. Some adults also give lucky money to older family members as a gesture of respect and good wishes. The money itself is less important than the meaning behind the gift. The red envelope symbolizes blessings for the recipient's new year.
6. Eat Foods That Symbolize Good Fortune
Traditional Tet foods are an essential part of the celebration. Many dishes carry meanings connected to prosperity, family unity, gratitude, and abundance. Popular examples include:
• Banh chung: A square sticky rice cake traditionally associated with northern Vietnam.
• Banh tet: A cylindrical sticky rice cake especially associated with southern and central Vietnamese traditions.
• Mut Tet: Candied fruits and other sweet treats served to guests.
• Five-fruit tray (mam ngu qua): An arrangement of fruits displayed on the ancestral altar, with the selection and symbolism varying by region and family.
These foods help preserve cultural traditions and bring families together around the holiday table.
7. Spend Time With Family
Family reunions are at the heart of Tet. Many people travel back to their hometowns to celebrate with parents, grandparents, siblings, and other relatives. Families share meals, exchange gifts and wishes, remember loved ones, and enjoy time together. For people who work or study far from home, Tet can be one of the most meaningful opportunities to reconnect with family.
8. Clean and Decorate the Home Before Tet
Many Vietnamese households clean their homes before the new year to remove the old year's dust and clutter and prepare for a fresh start. Decorations may include flowers, ornamental plants, red couplets, and festive displays. Popular plants and flowers include peach blossoms in northern Vietnam and yellow apricot blossoms in southern Vietnam. Cleaning and decorating the home also create a welcoming environment for relatives and guests.
9. Visit Parents, Grandparents, and Relatives
Visiting older family members is an important way to express love, respect, and gratitude during Tet. People often visit their parents and grandparents first, offer New Year wishes, and then visit other relatives and friends. These gatherings strengthen family relationships and help younger generations stay connected to Vietnamese traditions.
10. Do Good Deeds and Help Others
Acts of kindness are consistent with the spirit of renewal and goodwill associated with Tet. Some people donate to charitable causes, give food or gifts to people in need, support disadvantaged families, or volunteer in their communities. These activities reflect the hope that the new year will bring not only personal happiness but also greater well-being for others.
11. Plant or Care for Green Plants
Flowers and plants are popular during Tet because they symbolize life, growth, renewal, and prosperity. Families may decorate their homes with peach blossoms, yellow apricot blossoms, kumquat trees, or other ornamental plants. Caring for plants can also be a way to create a fresh, lively atmosphere for the holiday. The specific plants chosen often depend on the region, climate, and family preferences.
12. Maintain a Cheerful and Optimistic Attitude
Many Vietnamese people try to maintain a positive attitude during the first days of Tet. Smiling, speaking kindly, sharing laughter, and avoiding unnecessary arguments help create a peaceful holiday atmosphere. This tradition is closely connected to the belief that the new year should begin with happiness and hope. Even for people who do not believe in traditional taboos, starting the year with gratitude, kindness, and optimism can be a meaningful way to celebrate.
Why Are Tet Taboos Important in Vietnamese Culture?
Tet taboos are rooted in folk beliefs, symbolism, family customs, and traditional ideas about good fortune. Many developed in a society where agriculture, household prosperity, and family relationships played important roles in daily life. The new year was seen as a chance to leave difficulties behind and welcome better things, giving everyday actions such as sweeping, choosing clothes, sharing food, and speaking to relatives symbolic meanings. For example, avoiding sweeping on New Year's Day symbolizes keeping wealth at home, giving lucky money expresses wishes for health and prosperity, and first-footing reflects the belief that the first visitor may influence the household's fortune. Today, attitudes toward these traditions vary: some families follow many taboos, others observe only a few, and many view them as cultural customs rather than literal predictions of the future. Understanding these differences is important because no single taboo is followed by every Vietnamese person.
How Can Foreigners Respect Vietnamese New Year Customs?
If you are celebrating Tet with Vietnamese friends, colleagues, or relatives, you do not need to memorize every taboo. A few thoughtful gestures can help you participate respectfully.
• Offer sincere New Year wishes. Saying Chúc Mừng Năm Mới is a simple way to join the celebration.
• Dress neatly and festively. Bright colors are a popular choice, although ordinary, respectful clothing is generally acceptable.
• Bring a small gift when visiting someone's home. Fruit, sweets, or other thoughtful gifts can be appropriate, depending on the host's preferences.
• Be considerate of family traditions. If your hosts observe a particular custom, ask politely before doing something that might conflict with it.
• Respect religious practices. Follow local guidance when visiting pagodas, temples, or ancestral worship areas.
• Avoid making fun of folk beliefs. Even if you do not share them, these traditions can have emotional and cultural significance for the people who observe them.
Above all, remember that Tet is a celebration of family, gratitude, renewal, and hope. Respect and goodwill matter more than following every traditional rule perfectly.
Frequently Asked Questions About Vietnamese New Year Taboos
What should you not do on Vietnamese New Year's Day?
According to some traditional Vietnamese beliefs, people should avoid sweeping the house, taking out the trash, breaking objects, arguing, using offensive language, lending money, cutting their hair, or engaging in activities believed to bring bad luck. Customs vary between families and regions.
Why do Vietnamese people avoid sweeping on the first day of Tet?
Some Vietnamese people believe sweeping may symbolically remove good luck and wealth from the home. To avoid this, they clean their houses before Tet and may postpone sweeping until later in the holiday.
Is it bad luck to wear black during Tet?
Not necessarily. Black can be associated with mourning in traditional Vietnamese customs, so some people prefer bright colors for festive occasions. However, wearing black is not universally forbidden, and many Vietnamese people wear it during Tet.
Can foreigners celebrate Tet if they do not follow the taboos?
Yes. Foreigners can participate in Tet celebrations without observing every taboo. Offering New Year wishes, spending time with Vietnamese friends, respecting family customs, and showing interest in the culture are all thoughtful ways to celebrate.
What is the most important tradition during Vietnamese Lunar New Year?
There is no single tradition that is most important to everyone. For many Vietnamese people, family reunions, honoring ancestors, visiting relatives, exchanging New Year wishes, and welcoming good fortune are central parts of Tet.
Do all Vietnamese people believe in Tet taboos?
No. Beliefs differ by generation, region, religion, and family. Some people follow these customs closely, while others see them as cultural traditions or superstitions rather than rules that determine their future.
Final Thoughts
Vietnamese New Year taboos reflect traditional beliefs and hopes for good luck, health, and prosperity. Many customs symbolize a fresh and happy start to the year. Tet is also a time for family reunions, honoring ancestors, and sharing good wishes. Although traditions vary between families, they remain an important part of Vietnamese culture. Above all, Tet is about welcoming the new year with family, kindness, gratitude, and hope.