Happy Lunar New Year! Tết: A Celebration of Life
By Bicvan Brown
Chúc mừng năm mới! This means “Happy New Year” in Vietnamese and is a greeting made at the Vietnamese New Year, or Tết Nguyên Đán, popularly known as Tết.
Tết marks the beginning of Spring in Vietnam as well as New Year’s Day in the lunar calendar. Vietnam observes and acknowledges the solar calendar, though the solar calendar’s New Year’s Day on January 1 is not celebrated as elaborately as the celebration surrounding Tết.
Past Tết celebration in Orange County, California.
Tết is celebrated over the course of three days. Because the lunar calendar’s New Year’s Day varies from year to year, this year, the first day of Tết is February 1, and 2022 is the Year of the Tiger.
Tết symbolizes the cycle of the universe ending to pave the way for the beginning of a new cycle. Many Vietnamese prepare for Tết by cleaning their homes and reconciling their debts to pave the way for renewal, positivity, wealth, prosperity and rebirth.
Some Vietnamese believe that the first day of Tết foreshadows one’s path for the next year. The flowering peach blossom branches displayed in Vietnamese homes symbolize life, good fortune and positivity.
My family celebrates Tết at Tết festivals and parades. Orange County, California is home to the largest population of Vietnamese outside of Vietnam, and the festivals of late have been held at the Orange County Fairgrounds, the largest outdoor venue around. Below are some photographs of my family and me at past parades and festivals. I wish you and your family the happiest, healthiest and most prosperous Year of the Tiger.
About the Author
Bicvan Brown is a partner and Co-Chair of Tressler's Employment Group. She focuses her practice in all aspects of employment matters, including employment trials, arbitrations and mediations. She defends employers while providing advice and counsel against claims such as wage and hour (individual and class actions), PAGA, wrongful termination, sexual harassment, discrimination, retaliation and whistleblowing. She defends employers before state and federal agencies such as the EEOC, NLRB, California Labor Commission and California Department of Fair Employment and Housing. She is fluent in Vietnamese and Spanish and she provides advice about as well as translates workplace policies, employee handbooks and agreements. She regularly speaks at seminars, including sexual harassment prevention training conducted in Vietnamese, with the purpose of helping employers and their insurers regarding best practices to minimize risk in California. Bicvan can be reached at bbrown@tresslerllp.com.
