Tag: Vietnamese culture

Tết 2025: The Year of the Wood Snake in Vietnamese Culture

Post author By Di Tran
Post date January 25, 2025

Tết Nguyên Đán, commonly known as Tết, is the Vietnamese Lunar New Year and the most important and widely celebrated holiday in Vietnam. In 2025, Tết begins on Wednesday, February 29, marking the transition to the Year of the Wood Snake (Quý Tỵ in Vietnamese). This year holds special significance for the Vietnamese people, blending traditional values with hopes for renewal and growth.

**The Year of the Wood Snake (Quý Tỵ)**

In Vietnamese culture, the Snake (Tỵ) symbolizes wisdom, mystery, and transformation. Combined with the Wood element (Mộc), 2025 will be a year that emphasizes growth, harmony, and strategic planning. Here’s what it means in the context of Tết:

Snake Symbolism:
- The Snake is associated with intelligence, elegance, and intuition. It is considered a thoughtful animal, representing strategic thinkers and calm, measured approaches to life.
- Those born under the Snake sign are believed to possess sharp analytical skills, a love for knowledge, and a talent for keeping secrets.
The Wood Element:
- Wood in the Five Elements (Ngũ Hành) system represents growth, creativity, and vitality. It is also tied to flexibility and kindness, encouraging people to approach challenges with patience and adaptability.
- A Wood Snake year is thought to bring opportunities for personal development and thoughtful action—a time for planting seeds for future success.

Key Themes for Tết 2025

1. Renewal and Growth:

Tết always represents a fresh start, and the Wood Snake year amplifies this energy. Families focus on letting go of the old and embracing the new, symbolized by:

Cleaning and decorating homes with fresh flowers (e.g., peach blossoms and kumquat trees).
Clearing debts and resolving conflicts before the new year begins.

2. Wisdom and Introspection:

The Snake’s energy encourages reflection and careful planning. Many Vietnamese people will see 2025 as a time to:

Evaluate their goals and strategize for long-term success.
Prioritize education, learning, and self-improvement.

3. Family and Community:

Tết is a time for reunion, with families coming together to honor ancestors, celebrate unity, and pass down traditions.
The Snake’s qualities of loyalty and connection remind families to nurture relationships and work together toward shared prosperity.

Traditional Tết Celebrations in 2025

1. Preparations:

Homes are cleaned and decorated to invite luck and banish bad spirits.
Families buy Tết-specific plants, such as hoa mai (yellow apricot blossoms) in the south or hoa đào (peach blossoms) in the north.
Kumquat trees are also popular, symbolizing wealth and happiness.

2. Offerings and Rituals:

Ancestral altars are cleaned and adorned with fresh offerings, such as fruit, incense, and flowers, to honor loved ones who have passed.
People often visit family gravesites to clean them and pay respects.

3. Festive Foods:

Tết cuisine reflects abundance and good fortune. Iconic dishes include:

Bánh chưng (square sticky rice cake) or bánh tét (cylindrical sticky rice cake) filled with pork and mung beans, symbolizing the earth and gratitude.
Thịt kho trứng (braised pork with eggs) for harmony and family unity.
Dưa hành (pickled vegetables) to cleanse the palate and signify new beginnings.

4. Customs for Luck:

Xông đất (First Footing): The first person to enter a home on Tết morning is believed to bring good or bad luck for the year. Families carefully select someone with a positive and compatible zodiac sign to visit first.
Lì xì (Red Envelopes): Adults give red envelopes filled with money to children and the elderly as a symbol of good fortune and prosperity.
Avoid arguments, sweeping, or breaking things during the first days of Tết to prevent bad luck.

Unique Vietnamese Beliefs for 2025

In the Year of the Wood Snake, the Vietnamese will emphasize:

Balance Between Tradition and Growth:
- Honor ancestral traditions while pursuing personal and community progress.
Education and Knowledge:
- With the Snake’s association with intelligence, 2025 will be seen as an ideal year for academic and professional growth.
Environmental Consciousness:
- Wood’s connection to nature may inspire a focus on sustainability and care for the environment.

What the Year of the Snake Brings to Different Signs

Each Vietnamese zodiac sign interacts with the Snake differently, bringing specific fortunes for the year. For instance:

Ox and Rooster: Favorable for career growth and prosperity.
Pig and Tiger: May face challenges but can overcome them with patience.
Monkey and Horse: Opportunities for success but require thoughtful planning.

Modern Tết in 2025

Vietnam continues to blend traditional Tết customs with modern celebrations:

Fireworks displays and public festivals light up major cities like Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and Da Nang.
The younger generation combines old traditions, like ancestral worship, with global trends, such as travel or digital well-wishing via social media.

Final Thoughts: Embracing the Wood Snake Year

Tết 2025 is a time for renewal, family, and thoughtful growth. The Wood Snake’s energy encourages patience, wisdom, and adaptability, making it an ideal year to:

Embrace self-improvement and learning.
Strengthen family bonds.
Plant the seeds for long-term success.

Whether through traditional rituals or modern expressions of hope and joy, Tết 2025 promises a year of transformation and new opportunities for those who celebrate it. Chúc Mừng Năm Mới! (Happy New Year!) 🌸🐍

Community Drop the ME and focus on the OTHERS

Vietnamese Born and American Made: Celebrating the Kentucky Science Center and the Tran Family

Post author By Di Tran
Post date May 25, 2024

In the heart of Louisville, KY, the Kentucky Science Center stands as a beacon of knowledge, inclusivity, and community. As an institution dedicated to exploring the intersection of health and humanity, the Science Center continually fosters environments where differences are celebrated and every story is honored. This spirit of inclusivity is exemplified in their latest exhibit, “Uniquely Human,” which delves into the assumptions, biases, and perspectives that shape our self-perception and community interactions.

One of the most touching features of the “Uniquely Human” exhibit is the inclusion of items from the Tran family, a testament to the rich tapestry of Vietnamese culture and the powerful story of a family that has embraced both their heritage and their American identity. Di Tran, a proud Vietnamese immigrant, and his family have become shining examples of love, care, and inclusivity in Louisville.

Di Tran’s story is one of perseverance, dedication, and a deep commitment to community. His books, “Drop the Me and Focus on the Others” and “Embrace the Healing Power of Beauty Services,” are featured in the exhibit, providing insights into his philosophy of selflessness and community service. These works encourage readers to look beyond themselves and contribute to the greater good, aligning perfectly with the mission of the Kentucky Science Center.

However, what makes this exhibit even more special are the personal items on display that tell a deeper story. The embroidered black áo dài and the conical hat (nón lá) showcased were worn by Di Tran’s mother at his wedding. This áo dài nhung, adorned with intricate decorations, represents not only the elegance of Vietnamese tradition but also the love and pride of a mother celebrating a significant milestone in her son’s life. The inclusion of these items highlights the Tran family’s journey and the blending of their Vietnamese heritage with their American experiences.

Di Tran often says, “Vietnamese Born and American Made,” a phrase that captures the essence of his family’s journey. They are proud of their roots and equally proud of the lives they have built in the United States. The Tran family embodies the spirit of resilience and the warmth of community, values that resonate deeply within the walls of the Kentucky Science Center.

As community partners with the Science Center, Di Tran and his children are honored to celebrate the beauty of Kentucky and Louisville in the most inclusive and welcoming way possible. The Tran family’s involvement with the exhibit is not just a celebration of Vietnamese culture but a tribute to the love and unity that define their lives.

The Kentucky Science Center’s commitment to creating a space where all voices and traditions can be appreciated and respected is commendable. Their “Uniquely Human” exhibit is a profound reminder of the power of empathy and understanding. By showcasing the Tran family’s story, the Science Center emphasizes that our differences can bring us together and that each unique journey adds to the rich tapestry of our community.

We invite all families to visit the Kentucky Science Center and explore the “Uniquely Human” exhibit. It is a place of love, inclusion, and celebration of diversity. Come and discover the beauty of our collective stories and traditions, and learn how our assumptions and biases shape our perceptions and interactions.

Join us in honoring the Kentucky Science Center for their leadership and dedication to inclusivity, and in celebrating Di Tran and his family for their loving and inclusive spirit that enriches the Louisville community. Together, we can continue to build a community where every voice is heard, and every tradition is cherished.

Visit the Kentucky Science Center today and be part of this extraordinary journey. Let’s learn, explore, and grow together in a place that welcomes everyone with open arms.

KentuckyScienceCenter #UniquelyHuman #VietnameseBornAmericanMade #CommunityCelebration #InclusiveCommunity #LouisvilleKY #CelebrateDiversity #FamilyHeritage #VisitLouisville #LoveAndUnity

A Family Tradition: A Colorful Connection to Vietnamese Culture and Love

Post author By Di Tran
Post date June 25, 2023

For Di Tran, author of “Drop the ME and Focus on the OTHERS,” and his wife, Vy Truong, their journey of cultural preservation and familial bonding begins in a vibrant and fragrant venue – their kitchen. It is here that they engage in a tradition that is as colorful as the culture from which it stems – preparing Vietnamese sticky rice.

Di Tran, a passionate writer who encourages shifting the focus from self to others, uses this culinary tradition as a platform to weave lessons of selflessness and consideration into his family’s routine. As Tran and Truong mold their family life, the sticky rice serves as a canvas, vividly illustrating their shared cultural heritage and values.

The process commences with their sons focusing on their homework, embodying Tran’s belief in the significance of diligence and commitment. The moment their work is complete, the air seems to fill with anticipation. The boys approach their mother with earnest faces, their request for the beloved sticky rice sweetened with three to five gentle kisses, underlining the importance of expressing love and affection.

The act of cooking Vietnamese sticky rice, or “xoi ngot,” is a cultural performance. A delicacy known for its radiant hues, sticky rice is a metaphorical feast of Vietnamese history and tradition. As the Tran-Truong family gathers to create this dish, they are immersed in a spectrum of colors that tell the vibrant story of their heritage.

In Vietnamese culture, each shade of the sticky rice holds a symbolic meaning. The green rice, tinted by the juice of pandan leaves, represents a fresh start and growth. Yellow, achieved through the use of turmeric, signifies wealth and success. Red, a color infused by gac fruit, is a symbol of love and passion. Through these colors, Di and Vy not only cook a dish but also depict a narrative of their roots.

In the Tran-Truong kitchen, the sticky rice’s preparation is an immersive family affair. Vy, a seasoned home cook, instructs her sons on the nuances of this traditional dish. She guides them through selecting the rice, soaking, and finally, steaming it. She then shares the unique process of naturally coloring the rice, revealing the botanical secrets behind the green, yellow, and red hues.

In these shared moments, the children do not merely learn to prepare a dish; they connect with their culture on a deeper level. The lesson surpasses culinary skills; it’s a vivid illustration of their heritage, an education in patience and precision, and a reminder of the value of hard work and love.

Once prepared, the multicolored sticky rice is not just a meal—it’s a cultural tapestry woven with ingredients that narrate tales of Vietnamese history and traditions. Every mouthful serves as a flavorful reminder of their ancestry, a testament to the richness of their heritage.

In their quest to sustain their culture, Di Tran and Vy Truong are nurturing their children’s understanding of their roots, integrating it with lessons in hard work, family love, and respect for one’s heritage. The sticky rice tradition in their household is a tangible, tasteful, colorful connection to Vietnam.

This practice is more than cooking; it is a heartfelt act of cultural preservation, an effort to instill their cherished values in their children. It is a generational gift from the heart of Vietnam, shared over dinner, passed from one generation to the next, ensuring the richness of their heritage remains a vibrant part of their family’s narrative.

The Year of the Wood Snake (Quý Tỵ)