May Fifth

by Hoa

May fifth is one of the holidays in Vietnam. Every body calls this holiday, “Tet nua nam.” On this day, every one often eats two special kinds of food, che xoi nuoc and banh u la tre. They are sticky and sweet, the outside is a white color, and in the center is yellow. On this day my mother is the busiest person of all. My mom has to go to the market to buy all the ingredients needed. At the market I hear the noisy crowds. When my mom gets home, I need to help her cook green beans. She grinds them to make the fillings for banh u la tre, and che xoi nuoc. Banh u la tre is wrapped in bamboo leaves. After much hard work, it’s noontime and also it’s a good time to pray. You can pray outside of the home or go to the temple. Going to the temple is one of the customs in many holidays in Vietnam. On Tet nua nam my mom often prays at home. My mom also needs one dish of fruit, one dish of banh u la tre, and a small sweet bowl of che xoi nuoc. Of course when you pray, you need to have some incense too. At the end of the day, my family sits around the table to eat che xoi nuoc, banh u la tre and hear Vietnamese music. It’s wonderful. My mom tells me if I eat one small bowl of che xoi nuoc that means I am half a year older. Even though this holiday is not important like New Year, it is important to me because it means I am a little bit older.

Return to Vietnamese Celebrations main page.