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The tradition of first-footers in Tet holidays of Vietnamese |
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Vietnamese people very much appreciate the rituals. They have habits of abstaining from bad things in life, especially in Tet holidays, in the first and the fifth days of the lunar year. Therefore, the first caller of the New Year must be carefully considered according to the rules people has made.
The New Year's first-footers come after the New Year's Eve. After worshipping in that night, everybody often go to a pagoda to pick buds or young leaves and visit others to wish them a happy New Year. The first comer to any house is called "the New Year's first-footer"
In the old days, people thought that a lucky or a bad New Year was due to the first-footer. Therefore, all families often choose a person with "good spirit" to be the first-footer. He will make the New Year happy, lucky and successful. They often choose a young person who is moral, of good will, good looking to be the first-footer. That means they don't have to ask another good guy to do. They can avoid some inconvenient and unlucky things may happen.
The first-footer picked among the family members will leave home in the time of the old year and go home after the New Year's Eve with buds or young leaves in hands.
That is also why Vietnamese people usually avoid being the first-footer for others if they didn't have a last lucky year. Many families are afraid of someone who is lazy and not good moral
to be the first comer of their family.
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