Ways to Celebrate Vietnamese Lunar New Year

The Year of the Goat (or Sheep, depending on who you ask) starts this Thursday, February 19. Our family has already began the Tết (Vietnamese Lunar New Year) celebration. Over the past week, we’ve attended both Tết and Chinese New Year festivals at various places in the DC area.

You can celebrate at the biggest holiday in Vietnamese and Chinese culture at home with your kids too. It’s not too late either. In Vietnamese culture, the celebration lasts for 3 days, while the Chinese celebrate for 2 weeks!

Ways to Celebrate Vietnamese Lunar New Year

Of course food is the most obvious way to celebrate.

We’ve eaten our lucky Bánh chưng already but I’m planning on buying another one. Take a look at some other Lunar New Year Foods.

Once again, Godiva also sent us their special edition Year of the Goat chocolates for tasting. Each year, Godiva’s Chief Chocolatier creates unique pairings for their gift box (the goat shaped chocolates above):

• Chrysanthemum and Ginger: white chocolate ganache flavored with sweet chrysanthemum and sharp ginger
• Gui Flower and Ginseng: milk chocolate ganache flavored with fragrant gui flower and invigorating ginseng
• Jasmine and Angelica: 72% dark chocolate ganache flavored with jasmine and aromatic angelica root

 The kids loved tasting all the different chocolates in the box!

You can also introduce your family to Vietnamese culture with my Banh Mi Sliders with Sriracha Mayo.

Of course, books are a great way to celebrate the Lunar New Year.

For the younger crowd, here’s some really great Lunar New Year board books for babies and toddlers.

I’ve got Lunar New Year books for older kids too, including many of Sophia’s favorites.

Before I go, I’ll leave you with this video we took of a lion dance. It’s Jaxson’s favorite part of Tết (besides the food).