Vietnamese Tet (Lunar New Year) 2024 & 2025: Feb. 10, Animal Sign Dragon, Zodiac

Contents

When is Tet 2024?
How long does it last?
What is the animal sign of Vietnamese New Year 2024?
How long is Tet 2024 Holiday?
Vietnamese New Year day in 10 years

Vietnamese Tet 2024, also known as the Tet Nguyen Dan or Lunar New Year, will fall on Saturday, February 10th, 2024, marking the beginning of the Year of the Dragon. As a public holiday, Vietnamese people will get 7 days off from from February 8th (Thursday, 29/12 lunar calendar) to February 14th (Wednesday, 05/01 lunar calendar) in 2024.

Vietnamese Tet (Lunar New Year) 2024 & 2025: Feb. 10, Animal Sign Dragon, Zodiac

IN A NUTSHELL

2024 is the year of the Dragon (Thìn).
The 2024 Tet will last for 7 days (08 February to 14 February, 2024).
Tet 2024 will fall on 10 February, 2024.

When is Tet 2024?

Peach blossom - Photo: @_su_xinh_ / Instagram

Vietnamese New Year 2024 is also called Tet 2024. It falls on February 10th, 2024 in the Gregorian calendar and January 1st, 2024 in the Lunar calendar. Tet often changes year by year due to the leap month every 3 years in the Lunar Calendar. However, it ranges from late January and early February in the Solar calendar.

"Tet" is shortened from "Tet Nguyen Dan" which means the celebration of the first morning of the year. This is the biggest and most important festival in Vietnamese culture. Tet is not only the transition moment between the old year and the new year, between the cycle of heaven and earth and the life of all things but also an occasion for everyone to show respect to ancestors and parents and reunite with family.

How long does it last?

Foreigners may be curious about when and how long Tet lasts when Vietnamese start talking and preparing for it for the prior few weeks or months. Vietnamese New Year is a public holiday with around 7 official days off yet the festival actually lasts for over 20 days.

Vietnamese New Year 2024 lasts from 23rd December until 15th January in the Lunar Calendar. It includes a series of celebrations and activities with different meanings in the spiritual life of Vietnamese.

Tet 2024 can be divided into 3 periods of time:

Before the New Year’s Eve (23/12-30/12)
New Year’s Eve (30/12)
The New Year (1/1-15/1)

	Lunar dates	Activities	Meanings
Before New Year’s Eve	23 December	Kitchen God Day - Clean altar, set offerings, release carp @tygonhongtrongnangmai81191	Also known as Tet Ong Cong - Ong Tao - the day of the kitchen gods who protect and govern all works of the family. This day is to say farewell to these gods to come back to heaven for the annual report. Cleaning the altar, setting new offerings, and releasing carp are ritual ceremonies to help the gods on their way back to heaven.
	24 - 30 December	Wrap Chung Cake - Tet Cake Wrapping Chung cake	Chung Cake or Tet Cake is traditional and unmissable food on Tet’s feasts. Family members will gather to wrap Chung /Tet Cake (normally from 26 - 28th Lunar December) to place on ancestors’ altar and used to feast guests on New Year meals.
		Clean and decorate house	A neat space and intimate atmosphere are very important to every Vietnamese home on Tet. Cleaning and decorating the house is believed to wipe out all bad luck and old things and get ready to welcome good luck and happiness in the new year.
		Prepare five-fruit trays @linhlydinh	The five-fruit tray represents abundance and fullness. Preparing a five-fruit tray for ancestors not only to show respect but also to pray for fullness, and happiness in the new year.
		Visit ancestor’s grave	Vietnamese often clean and burn incense at ancestor's graves before Tet to send thankfulness for the blessing in the old year and pray for peace, health, and happiness in the new year. This is also to show the remembrance of ancestors and prior generations.
New Year’s Eve	30 December	Give offerings to ancestor’s altar	Preparing a hearty food tray with other offerings on the ancestor's altar is a vital ritual ceremony before the new year comes. It is to end the old year, pray for good luck in the new year, and a way to invite ancestors to return home for Tet.
New Year’s Eve	30 December	“Xông đất” - first visit in the house	The first person visiting the house having a good spirit is believed to bring good luck to the host family for the whole year. The chosen person must have good morality, education, or success and well match with the astrology of the owner's house.
The New Year	1 January	Visit relatives on father’s side	According to a long-lasting tradition, Vietnamese spend the first day of the year on their father's side first. After greeting members of our small family, we come to relatives' houses together to send the best new year wishes to them. Family members often give lucky money to the elderly to wish them longevity and children to wish them health and good studying.
	2 January	Visit relatives on mother’s side	After father’s side, family members will gather to visit mother’s relatives on the second day of the new year.
	3 January	Visit teachers	Vietnamese highly appreciate the hard work of the teachers and take the third day of the year to show respect to them. On the 3rd of January, Vietnamese students come to teachers’ houses with lovely gifts or flowers and give best wishes to them.
	4 - 5 January	Visit other relatives, neighborhoods, friends	During the rest of the holiday, Vietnamese can visit friends, neighborhoods, and further relatives as a way to stay connected with each other. They often ask about the previous year and intentions for the future. This is the time for families to go to the pagoda to pray for luck or simply rest at home to get ready to go back to work.
	15 January	Tet Nguyen Tieu	Also known as “Ram Thang Gieng” - the very first full moon of the year. Vietnamese believe that this day is Buddha's Day with the gathering of all the luck of the new year. Vietnamese will go to the pagodas and temples to give offerings and pray for happiness, peace, success, and luck for the whole family.

What is the animal sign of Vietnamese New Year 2024?

In the traditional Asian culture, each year will be associated with an animal in the 12 zodiacs and form a loop in a certain order. 12 animals in the order are rat, ox, tiger, cat, dragon, snake, horse, goat, monkey, rooster, dog, and pig. Each animal comes with different attributes and brings its own meanings. Since 2023 is the year of Cat, Vietnamese New Year 2024 will be the year of Dragon.

Dragon is one of the most powerful and auspicious animal symbols. It shows not only unparalleled talent and strength but also nobleness, luck, and success. So, 2024 is expected to be a very good year for those who were born in Dragon years such as 2024, 2012, 2000, 1988, 1976, 1964, 1952, 1940, etc.

Besides, 2024 is also considered a good year to give birth since babies born in Dragon years are believed to have a kind, soft personality, enduring endurance, enthusiasm, and a high spirit of gratitude.

How long is Tet 2024 Holiday?

Tet is the longest public holiday in Vietnam. Depending on each object and working schedule, Vietnamese will have a 5 to 9-day Tet holiday. The Tet 2024 holiday is scheduled to last for 7 days from February 08 (29th of Lunar December) to February 14, 2024 (5th of Lunar January). This schedule is subject to change according to the decision of the Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs when it comes closer to the festival.

Tet 2024 schedule (Photo credit: Vnexpress.net)

Although this is the official holiday for officials, employees, and students, some private companies, enterprises, or organizations in Vietnam can offer their own schedules.

Vietnamese New Year day in 10 years

Tet Decoration in Hoi An - Photo: @econd2none.travel / Instagram

Although the Vietnamese New Year date changes year by year, the time frame and traditions are similar. The period of time for Tet in Vietnam is from late January and early February. For more details, you can take a look at the table below:

Vietnamese New Year	Date	Animal sign
2024	February 10	Dragon (Thìn)
2025	January 29	Snake (Tị)
2026	February 17	Horse (Ngọ)
2027	February 6	Goat (Mùi)
2028	January 26	Monkey (Thân)
2029	February 13	Rooster (Dậu)
2030	February 3	Dog (Tuất)
2031	January 23	Pig (Hợi)
2032	February 11	Rat (Tý)
2033	January 31	Buffalo (Sửu)