Vietnamese Holidays and How to Talk About Them

Vietnamese holidays are rich with tradition, food, and language. Understanding them gives you cultural context that makes podcasts about Vietnamese life much more comprehensible.

Tết Nguyên Đán (Lunar New Year)

The biggest holiday. Entire country shuts down for a week.

• Chúc mừng năm mới — Happy New Year
• Lì xì / Bao lì xì — Lucky money envelope (given to children)
• Bánh chưng — Sticky rice cake (Northern)
• Bánh tét — Sticky rice cake (Southern)
• Hoa mai — Apricot blossom (South, symbolizes Tet)
• Hoa đào — Peach blossom (North, symbolizes Tet)
• Về quê — Return to hometown

Tết Trung Thu (Mid-Autumn Festival)

Children's festival with lanterns and mooncakes.

• Bánh trung thu — Mooncake
• Đèn lồng — Lantern
• Múa lân — Lion dance

Other Important Dates

• Ngày Quốc tế Phụ nữ (8/3) — International Women's Day (bigger deal than in the West)
• Ngày Phụ nữ Việt Nam (20/10) — Vietnamese Women's Day
• Ngày Nhà giáo Việt Nam (20/11) — Vietnamese Teachers' Day
• Giỗ Tổ Hùng Vương (10/3 lunar) — Hung Kings' Anniversary
• Ngày Giải phóng miền Nam (30/4) — Reunification Day

Useful Holiday Phrases

• Nghỉ lễ — Holiday break
• Được nghỉ mấy ngày? — How many days off?
• Bạn có kế hoạch gì không? — Do you have any plans?

Holiday vocabulary appears frequently in WELE podcasts, especially around Tet. Knowing these terms transforms a confusing podcast into a window into Vietnamese culture.