Midnight, Blossoms, and Red Envelopes

Every year, a nation travels home.

On the last night of the old year, Vietnamese families sweep their houses, fill their altars with flowers, and keep watch beside a pot of simmering sticky rice cakes. This is Tết, the most beloved celebration in Vietnam, and behind every custom lies a story.

Midnight, Blossoms, and Red Envelopes takes you inside Tết Nguyên Đán, the Vietnamese Lunar New Year, through ten warm, easy-to-read chapters, each pairing a story, a saying, or a legend with the custom behind it. You will also learn how Tết differs from Chinese New Year, and why the Vietnamese zodiac has a cat where the rabbit should be.

Inside, you will discover:

A warm read for:

• Travelers and expats who want to understand Vietnam beyond the guidebook


• Vietnamese families and the diaspora who want to share their heritage


• Readers who love folklore, festivals, and cultural traditions


• Anyone looking for a thoughtful book about Vietnamese culture

Written by Mr Giang, who grew up in the Mekong Delta, and illustrated with a painting at the start of every chapter.

Open it, and let the new year in. Chúc mừng năm mới!

• The Kitchen Gods who ride a carp to heaven


• The prince whose humble rice cakes won a kingdom


• Why a tall bamboo pole guards the home


• Golden mai, pink peach, and lucky kumquats that bring spring indoors


• The magic of midnight and why the first footstep matters


• The meaning of red envelopes, the five-fruit tray, and the Tết feast


• How Tết differs from North to South, and how Vietnamese families celebrate it around the world