The phrase "Tet reunion" serves as a message urging everyone to put aside their worries and gather together. Especially for those far from home, each Tet is an opportunity to connect and cherish every loving moment with family.

Tet is an occasion to strengthen bonds of love with family. Photo: X.S

Growing up and sharing

Mr. Nguyen Duy Thi (born in 1994, residing in Hoa Minh ward, Lien Chieu district) and his wife consistently strive to help their children connect with both their paternal and maternal families. Their hope is that as their children grow up, they will feel the love of their grandparents and learn to cherish and preserve family bonds

"Growing up and maturing, Tet, for me, has transformed from a season of festivities into a season of reunions, connection, and love. For over a decade now, I've been striving to preserve and spread that spirit. I hope that later, when my children grow up, they will also understand and cherish that invaluable gift!" Thi shared about Tet At Ty in his hometown of Binh Dinh.

It has been 13 years since the day he moved far from his hometown to work and live in Da Nang. In each Tet occasion, coming back home represents growth and sharing for him, from his student days to becoming a young father. "My memories of my grandparents are all wrapped up in my parents' dreamy stories. Back then, there wasn't a single film or photo to record it, yet I can still feel my grandparents' love and remember it to this day," Thi said. Now, he instills those emotions in his daughter during trips back home, specifically for Tet and for special occasions in general.

Mr. Nguyen Dinh Tuan (born in 1995, residing in Hoa Tho Tay ward, Cam Le district), who shares the same hometown as Mr. Thi, introduced a photo of his hometown on social media: "That place is in Canh Hien commune (Van Canh, a mountainous district in Binh Dinh province), nearly 400km away from Da Nang city. That's Mount Hon Ong, and this is Ha Thanh River. Crossing this small bridge, you'll find my home; my parents are both there."

Eleven years ago, Mr. Tuan left his hometown to study at university in Da Nang and has been attached to the coastal city ever since. Since then, the phrase "hometown" has been defined by infrequent trips back and forth. Busy with work, he can only reunite with his family about twice a year during Tet or holidays. This Tet is more special because Tuan's journey home includes his newlywed wife. His experiences and feelings about this Tet reunion have also changed.

"Before, whenever I went home for Tet, I didn't have any worries; I only thought about hanging out and meeting friends. But having my own family, I cherish the moments with my parents more, help the family prepare for Tet, and spend more time with everyone at home. I go to work, go out, meet up, and take lots of pictures with so many people out there, but when it comes to finding a really nice picture of the whole family together, there isn't one. The most recent picture with everyone in it is my wedding photo. It was then that I realized I had neglected the things that are most familiar and dearest to me..." shared Mr. Tuan.

Mr. and Mrs. Tuan's Tet holiday in their hometown was short. On the third day of Tet, he boarded the coach back to Da Nang to meet his work deadlines. In his luggage for the return trip, besides the local specialties, there was a heavy load of family love. "Each year, I only get to see my parents a few times, and they are getting older. Every time I return, I can feel their longing that comes with age, and then the holiday rushes by... In the future, when I have children, I will try to bring them back to visit their grandparents more often to ease the days of separation. Tet reunion will be more joyful," he shared.

Tet is for returning home

Returning to Da Nang after the Tet holiday in her hometown in Gio Linh district (Quang Tri province), Bui Khanh Ly (born in 1997, residing in Hoa Khanh Nam ward, Lien Chieu district) hurriedly returned to her daily work, which is running a coffee shop in Lien Chieu district. Busy with her business, Ly only returns to her hometown 3-4 times a year.

"Where there is work, there is no home; where there is home, there is no work," she shared. Like other people who are far from their hometown, each Tet is another time she eagerly anticipates the moment of reunion. Tet in her hometown, for Ly, means helping her mother sell groceries, going to the market to cook a meal for the family, and hugging her parents to tell them about the joys and sorrows of the past year. "No fancy delicacies or bustling city can compare to the feeling of coming home to a family meal. Home is where there's a father, a mother, brothers, and sisters; it's a place where misunderstandings are resolved, where everyone understands and loves each other more," said Ly.

For Tran Thi Tu Uyen (born in 2005, a student at the University of Education, the University of Da Nang), a week-long Tet holiday in her hometown never seems long enough for a young person living away from home. That's why Uyen prioritizes spending most of her time with her family in Tho Thang hamlet (Van Hai commune, Quynh Luu district, Nghe An province). For Uyen, Tet is the only occasion of the year when the whole family has a reunion meal with all members present, and it is also a precious time to connect generations. There, grandparents tell stories about their parents' youth, and parents remember their children's childhoods.

The village gathers to make bonfires, grill chicken and fish, and set off fireworks on New Year's Eve. Then everyone goes to the pagoda to pray for good fortune at the beginning of the year, performs the first-footing ritual, and visits relatives... "After a year of studying away from home, coming back to my family's embrace makes me feel like I'm still a child loved by my grandparents and parents. Tet is for putting aside the worries of the old year and seeing smiles on everyone's faces. Those are the moments that people often say 'money can't buy'," Uyen shared.

I recall a message on a wooden board in a small coffee shop on the outskirts of Da Nang. There, the coffee shop owner (who asked to remain anonymous) – a person living far from his hometown – carefully wrote: "Tet is for returning home. Some people can only visit their parents once a year. If their parents live for another 20 years, they'll only get to see them 20 more times; but for many, their parents may only live for about 10 more years, so that's just 10 more visits." The board was hung in the coffee shop on a day close to Tet At Ty. The owner didn't explain, and the customers didn't ask, because everyone understood: "Where there is family, there is Tet."

Reporting by XUAN SON – Translating by HONG VAN