This past weekend was the Vietnamese New Year celebration, their biggest holiday of the year. I was honored to be invited both to New Year's Eve's and New Year's Day festivities. Here are a few pictures:
The traditional Vietnamese way is to eat on the floor, and to eat a lot. So we ate a variety of meats, vegetables, etc. cooked in a "hotpot" along with rice and noodles.
Each New Year's Eve, special food is offered to the spirits of ancestors who come and bring good luck and success for the new year. The table is set up at 11:00 pm, and at midnight prayers are offered for and to the ancestor's spirits. This practice comes from the Buddhist background of many Vietnamese, and is still practiced despite the fact that many are atheistic.
Each New Year's Eve, special food is offered to the spirits of ancestors who come and bring good luck and success for the new year. The table is set up at 11:00 pm, and at midnight prayers are offered for and to the ancestor's spirits. This practice comes from the Buddhist background of many Vietnamese, and is still practiced despite the fact that many are atheistic.