Jan 29th, 2022: The Year of The Tiger

 

This weekend is Lunar New Year. It is the Year of the Tiger. In Vietnam, it is a whole week of parties and celebrations. Many traditional ways guide people to prepare for the New Year's Celebration.




One of the traditional practices is "Li Xi". It is a blessing when the older generations give the younger generations money in red envelopes. The notion of blessing exists in all cultural traditions. Maybe it's the reflection of God's goodness to humanity. So it is good to be the youngest at this time of the year.



The flowers we often see during New Year are Hoa Mai Vàng (Ochna integerrima). Every house would have some branches of this type of flower. It is about welcoming the New Year with vibrant beauty and life.




We cannot avoid talking about Lunar New Year without talking about food. Bánh Chưng is non-negotiable during Tết ( New Year). Bánh Chưng is a traditional Vietnamese food made from glutinous rice, mung beans, pork, and other ingredients. Some people would say its ingredients sum up how good the earth has been to us.


Blessings, New Life, and Goodness are the emphasis of these practices. So when we say "Chúc Mừng Năm Mới" (Happy New Year), we bless one another, wish each other a new and meaningful life and give thanks for God's goodness.


The Year of the Tiger implies the strength, braveness, and elimination of evil. What should be our prayers? I go with the elimination of evil.


Ephesians 6: 11

"Put on the whole armour of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil."

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