Celebrating Tet in France

In late December, while watching clusters of yellow jasmine blossoming against heaps of white snow, I thought a lot about the Spring Festival, known to the Vietnamese as Tet and to the Westerners as Lunar New Year. Winter jasmine in France has a tolerance for very cold weather, and they resemble yellow cherry blossoms in Viet Nam.

Children in traditional New Year’s costumes in France.
An Asian store in Paris.
Imported tropical fruits.

When I was a child, my grandmother and I used to go shopping shortly before every Tet. We would visit the flower market on Nguyen Hue Boulevard and the first item I would choose with great care was a bunch of cherry branches. White blossoms were my favorites. My grandmother would pick out a nice tree laden with little oranges.

I was told the orange tree would bring good luck and wealth, and the cherry tree would scare away the evil spirits. For many people who were living in a crowded city like Sai Gon, there was no garden to grow cherry trees. Cut branches were substitutes. Everyone expected the flower buds to be in full blooms during the holiday, as this would signify an auspicious year.

For food shopping before Tet, I went with my mother, and we never failed to include red watermelons on our list. My mother was a good cook and her expertise included savory glutinous rice cakes in banana leaves. This traditional Vietnamese New Year’s specialty is called banh chung (a square block) in the North, and banh tet (a long tube) in the South. The making is time consuming, with intensive labor.

As a child, I was so much looking forward to receiving the little red envelopes of money during Tet. I was among the lucky children, as one of my uncles would give me a huge amount of cash, all in new bills without any wrinkle. During this holiday my siblings and I would be invited to several feasts offered by relatives. We were dressed in colorful clothes, newly made by my mother. All young children had a long school break, lasting for ten days. Despite the ongoing war, Vietnamese families, rich or poor, always honored Tet.

Tet this year is highly significant as it marks the 1000th year of Thang Long Imperial City (Ha Noi). It was established under the Ly dynasty — a golden era in Viet Nam’s history. The Spring Festival of Ha Noi began in late December, with flower gardens of striking beauty in public parks, along the city’s sidewalks, around the lakes, on the riverbanks…Even cyclos are adorned with bouquets of flowers. Outside the city, in Sa Pa and Bac Ha, several varieties of flowering cherry are also blooming early, creating a magnificent impact.

For Vietnamese expatriates living in France and other parts of the world, the tradition is maintained. In Paris, the places to buy orange trees, cherry blossom branches, and ready-made savory glutinous rice cakes are Tang Freres, Paris Store, Big Store … Tang Freres grocery chains have shops in at least five locations in Paris and the surrounding areas. Being inside one of these shops is just like being back in Asia.

Before the economic recession of 2008, the streets of Paris, especially those near the 13th district, were decorated with rows of festive flags in bright red and gold several weeks prior to the holiday. The budget for street decorations have been scaled down but shops run by Chinese and Vietnamese merchants have their usual displays for the festival this year: red lanterns, red paper couplets, firecrackers, red envelopes with gold symbols, cakes, fruit candies, red watermelon seeds…

In France, I include friends of various cultures for the Tet celebration. When I host this event, about two dozens guests would arrive for a buffet dinner. All the young children would have their own sitting area with suitable entertainment. I would have fresh flowers in all the rooms and at the entrances — cherry blossoms, orchids, daisies, roses, and white lilies. My son would arrange the lighting to create a cozy ambience. My thoughtful husband would have already bought me a luscious orange tree for the festive season.

To prepare the feast, some Vietnamese friends would join me in the kitchen. We would make a few traditional dishes such as fried seafood spring rolls, slow cooked belly pork with hard-boiled eggs, prawns sautéed with sea salt, garlic, and pepper corns. My salad specialty would include white cabbage and chicken with fresh herbs, and green mango and shrimps with spices. I would also make a dessert with glutinous rice and sweet corn in palm sugar and coconut cream. All the people I know are very fond of Vietnamese food.

As we enter the Year of the Tiger, the first day happens to fall on February 14, which is the Valentine holiday for Westerners. To many expatriates, this adds special meaning.

Celebrating Tet in France