We are thankful to our amazing contributor, Jen Le, for writing this blog post for our Gulf Coast Mom community!

The Lunar New Year of 2024 begins on Saturday, February 10 th . The lunar calendar follows the lunar phase. This event is commonly known as Chinese New Year; however, it is celebrated among many nations across the world. Locally on the Gulf Coast, this event is annually celebrated at the Vietnamese Martyrs Catholic Church in Biloxi, Mississippi or Mary Queen of Vietnam Church in New Orleans, Lousiana. Vietnamese community addresses this event as “Tết” (T-eh-t), short for Tết Nguyên Đán.

This year’s animal is the dragon, and it is one of the most-sought animal years to give birth to a baby due to its symbolism of good fortune. Businesses will celebrate by decorating with red paper lanterns and having a traditional lion dance with firecrackers during the first week.

Join the celebration by following some of these Vietnamese-based tradition for the Lunar New Year below:

Wear red to ward off evil spirits and misfortunes.
Pay off any debts to start off the year with a clean slate.
Make banh chung, which represents the symbol of the earth and is made of glutinous rice, mung beans, pork and other ingredients wrapped squarely in banana leaves.
No cleaning, such as sweeping the floor or washing clothes or hair for the first three days.
- Avoid sweeping or washing away your good luck for the year!
- Make sure to do all the cleaning before the Lunar New Year to freshen up the home.
Give red envelopes (lucky money) to children.
- It is common to give the dollar amount in even number such as $2 dollar bill.

These traditions are known to bring good luck and good fortune.

Ready to celebrate the events locally?

Follow White Tiger Lion Dance Team – They will be performing and celebrating local Vietnamese and Asian businesses along the coast. Here is their schedule below!