The Vietnamese New Year is called Tet. It is commonly believed that the first person to enter your house at New Year will bring either good or bad luck. During this holiday we frequently visit our friends and relatives to give li xi (red envelopes) to the childrens because they bring happiness, joy, and good luck. It's believed that the Ong Tao (Kitchen God) in every home travels to Heaven at the New Year. This God who was privy to the family's most private business and intimate secrets for the ending year, returns to Heaven to make his report to the Ngoc Hoang (Jade Emperor). Thus, the New Year is a time to reflect on the past and improve in the future. In our folklore the God travels to heaven on the back of a fish, called a carp. That is why today some people will buy a live carp, and then free it in a river or pond.
In Australia, every year we have the Vietnamese New Year Festival, this yearly event attended by over 20,000 people and is the highlight of the Vietnamese-Australian calendar. It is held at Warrick Farm, for many of us youngers, at day we work/study at night we enjoy the life of feast and festivities. Nightlife is spectacular.
On the night our Vietnamese-Australian Dragon Boat (VADB) stall attacks the happy crowd with free ballons for the kids.































































































































