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For the Vietnamese people, the festival held to celebrate the arrival of the lunar New Year is the most important one. It is held in late January or early February and lasts for three days. Before beginning the celebrations, the Vietnamese make a point of repaying debts and settling arguments, in the belief that omitting to do so will bring bad luck.
On the first day of the festival, firecrackers are set off to scare away evil spirits and offerings are made to ancestors, symbolizing an invitation to family members to take part in the celebrations. It is an occasion for putting on new clothes and preparing lavish dishes, such as the traditional banh chung, a small rice cake filled with sweet bean paste and pork and wrapped in banana leaves. The first day is seen as very important: its success is seen to bode well for the rest of the year. Similarly, the first guest to arrive for the celebrations is significant. To ensure good fortune, a family might choose to invite someone who has a lucky name or someone they hold in particular esteem. The Women's Festival, which celebrates women and their accomplishments in Vietnamese history, is held in mid-March. The festival pays particular tribute to the Trung Sisters. Two women are chosen to take part in a special commemorative procession, dressed up in clothes similar to those the sisters would have worn. The Holiday of the Dead is a festival held in August. Vietnamese people believe that at this time of year the souls of the dead wander the earth and so offerings are made to ancestors to give them comfort during their travels. Ceremonies are also held at the family altar to commemorate ancestors during this festival. A children's event known as the Mid-Autumn Festival is held in mid-September. It celebrates the harvest and also the full moon, which appears to be at its largest and brightest at this time of year. Children make rice-paper lanterns in the shape of stars and fish, decorating them with elaborate designs. They carry the lanterns in a parade, trying to reach the end before their lanterns burn out. "Moon cake," made with rice, peanuts, raisins, watermelon seeds and eggs, is a traditional food prepared for the event. |
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