As the last winds of winter blow in with a touch of gentle sunlight at day’s end, we know the twelfth lunar month has arrived. For someone like me, who’s away from home, this month brings a strong desire to return. It’s when we wrap up the worries of the old year, and our thoughts turn affectionately toward one another. Families and friends come together for year-end get-togethers and dinners that seem merrier than ever.

"I still remember my childhood with my grandmother, wrapping bánh tét together and staying up late to tend the steaming pot. Those tender childhood memories have embraced me throughout the years of life."

– Sally Truong, 2022

Pickled mustard greens: My parents would fuss over whether starting the New Year by eating “cải” (mustard greens) might lead to quarrels (“cãi nhau”) all year. A pan of candied ginger, lovingly stirred by my mother over a glowing charcoal stove on freezing winter nights.
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A string of lap cheong hanging in the kitchen corner, with my father’s constant reminder: “They’re not dry yet, don’t eat them!” Jars of pickled vegetables and sun-dried shallots, carefully prepared and tucked away, waiting to be served alongside fresh bánh tét when it’s finally done.

"Tet is not defined by the month or day; it resides in the hearts of people. It’s the excitement you feel as the apricot blossoms begin to bloom, the longing in your steps as you journey home."

– Hà Phương, 2023.

From these beautiful recollections, I simply want to hold on to and share the thrill of  “Về nhà – Sum vầy” once again. I am forever grateful for having a homeland to return to, a family to love and a childhood to cherish.

"For me, Tet is the moment I hold a bus ticket in my hand, knowing it will lead me back to where my parents eagerly await - a place filled with the warmth of home, the comforting aroma of braised pork that none restaurant could ever recreate."

– Hiệp Quỳnh, 2025