According to the Vietnamese custom, on the 23^rd day of the 12^th lunar month, ‘Ong Cong Ong Tao’, or the Kitchen Gods in Vietnamese legend, will ride carp to heaven for reporting about what they have witnessed in every family during the past year.

This year's prices of votive paper offerings for Kitchen Gods ceremony have not changed much compared to previous years.

Therefore, Vietnamese people often prepare a farewell ceremony for the Kitchen Gods, around a week before the Tet holiday.

A tray of offerings for the Kitchen Gods includes such traditional dishes as a plate of sticky rice, 3 cups of tea, 3 sugar cubes, 3 grilled rice paper cakes, betel nuts and leaves, fruits and paper offerings.

As recorded at some wet markets citywide, and convenience stores, indispensable offerings for the worshipping, such as votive paper shoes, robes, mandarin bonnets, and carp, have been sold from the beginning of the 12^th lunar month.

According to sellers, this year's prices of these votive paper offerings have not changed much compared to previous years. Specifically, a set of Tao Quan clothes costs VND30,000 - VND200,000 depending on the material and size, and gold coins and bars are priced at VND10,000 - VND25,000 each package.

Among the offerings of the worshipping, carp is also an indispensable thing because it serves as a means of transport for the Kitchen Gods to ride to heaven according to the Vietnamese folk belief.

Currently, the price of golden carp ranges from VND10,000 - VND20,000 VND each depending on size, or VND200,000 per kilo of up to 40 fish. Sellers usually sell in sets of 3 or 5 carp.

In addition to live carp, samples of carp-shaped sticky rice, jelly and floating rice cakes are among the favourite items by many people.

On the other hand, this year, the online market for Kitchen Gods worshipping ritual is quite bustling. A set of golden bar-sharped jelly is being offered at the price of VND70,000, Xoi Gac (sticky rice with special “gac” fruit) at VND30,000/piece, and pomelo sweet soup VND55,000/piece, and 3 pieces of palm sugar at VND10,000.

Reporting by Q.TRANG - Translating by M.DUNG