Just a few more hours until the new year begins — the Year of the Cat, 2023.
Goodbye, 2022 – Year of the Tiger.
Welcome, 2023 – Year of the Cat.
Happy Tet!
Wishing everyone good health, lots of joy, happiness, and peace/
It’s been lightly raining in Saigon — something I’ve never seen before during New Year’s Eve. It never rains in Saigon on this night, until now.
The older I get, the less excited I feel about Tet. That feeling doesn’t just come at the last minute — it’s been with me since early January (the twelfth lunar month). And honestly, this has been going on for a few years now, not just this year.
When we were kids, of course we looked forward to Tet. But once I started university, it began to feel different. I remember watching my friends happily heading home to see their families, while I stayed behind in Saigon — it felt strange.
Later on, I also experienced what it was like to be away from home, and I’d look forward to Tet just so I could catch a bus and go home. I’d be excited, but after the first couple of days at home, the joy would fade. Maybe it was that feeling of having to pack up and head back to work so soon that made it feel a bit disappointing — like I hadn’t had enough of a break yet.
Then, when I started working in Saigon, I spent several Tets with my family and some friends here. But slowly, my friends got married, had their own families, and became busy with in-laws and traditions on both sides — so we hardly got to meet up. Even in my own extended family, people my age have settled down, and they’re all just as busy.
The one comfort I used to hold on to was the quietness of Tet. During these days, the air in Saigon feels fresher, the roads are clear, everything slows down and feels peaceful. I used to really enjoy being immersed in that atmosphere.
But in the last few years, even that little joy has started to fade. My home is in a working-class neighborhood. Because of economic hardships, many people haven’t been able to go back to their hometowns — especially those from far away. They stay in Saigon, and their way of celebrating Tet mostly revolves around late-night drinking, karaoke, and loud music that goes on till morning.
Still, I get it. They don’t want to stay — it’s just that they have no choice. Everyone wants to be home with family for Tet. So I just shrug and say, “Well, it’s Tet,” and try to tolerate their noisy way of enjoying it. When it gets too much, I head to a café to find a little peace of my own.
But even cafés during Tet aren’t as quiet as they used to be. Young people these days don’t stay cooped up at home like we used to. Back then, I was happy just hanging out at home or visiting a friend’s house nearby.
In the coming years, I hope to find a quieter place somewhere on the outskirts of the city — away from all the chaos. Somewhere I can escape to, not just for Tet, but whenever I’m feeling burnt out. Or maybe I’ll pick up a seasonal job during Tet. Companies are usually very quiet around the holidays, and I could just go in, work, and chill in my own way.
As for this Tet, I’ve actually made a to-do list of things I want to get done. Last year, I still went out. But this year, I really don’t feel like stepping outside at all. So I’ll just stay in and try to finish everything on that list.
Thank you for reading my sharing, hopefully it has brought more or less useful value to you.
- Sky -