Bringing Tet to children

Lunar New Year (Tet) and the arrival of spring are occasions for each of us to express greater love, care, and sharing. For children, a meaningful Tet is not only about candies, new clothes, and lucky money, but also about memorable experiences of the nation's traditional celebrations.

To bring a warm and joyful Tet to children, including those in difficult circumstances, in the lead-up to the Lunar New Year of the Horse 2026, all levels of government, departments, and schools across the province have been organizing a wide range of Tet care activities, offering children the chance to enjoy and immerse themselves in the festive Tet atmosphere.

Heartwarming gifts

At just 10 years old, Nguyen Vo Tuan Anh (living in a rented room in Tran Bien ward, Dong Nai province) had to leave school early. Tuan Anh shared: His father passed away, and his mother sells lottery tickets alone to support three siblings. Daily living expenses and monthly rent have become a heavy burden for her. That is why, after finishing second grade, Tuan Anh insisted on leaving school and selling lottery tickets to help his mother raise his younger siblings.

Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Youth Union, Chairwoman of the Provincial Ho Chi Minh Young Pioneer Council  Nguyen Tran Phuong Ha presents scholarships to children in Dak O commune during the Border Spring - Loving Tet Journey in 2026. Photo: Nga Son

Since leaving school, Tuan Anh has spent each day roaming Bien Hoa market and the surrounding streets, selling lottery tickets and managing to sell more than 200 a day. The Lunar New Year is fast approaching, but for Tuan Anh, Tet is no different from any other day. He still wears the same old clothes, puts on his familiar hat, and carries his well-worn bag as he goes out to sell lottery tickets. During Tet, many people try their luck and buy more tickets than usual, so he takes the opportunity to sell more and earn extra income to help his mother.

Aware of the hardships faced by children who sell lottery tickets, Dong Nai Children's House presented Tuan Anh with a Tet gift as part of this year's Loving Spring Program. Though modest, the gift included rice, essential goods, sweets, and lucky money envelopes, helping Tuan Anh and his mother enjoy a more complete Tet.

Truong Hai Thi, Director of Dong Nai Children's House, shared that Loving Spring is an annual program organized by the Children's House ahead of the Lunar New Year. As in previous years, the Children's House presented 300 Tet gift packages to disadvantaged children, children of workers and labourers facing difficulties, and children who sell lottery tickets in Tran Bien ward and several neighbouring wards.

Notably, this year, Dong Nai Children's House also organized visits and gift presentations in border areas, presented gifts to children sponsored by various units, and delivered gifts to 22 soldiers of Dak O Border Guard Station.

Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Youth Union and Chairwoman of the Provincial Ho Chi Minh Young Pioneer Council Nguyen Tran Phuong Ha said that regarding Tet care activities for children, particularly those in difficult circumstances, the Youth Union and Ho Chi Minh Young Pioneer organizations coordinated to organize the Border Spring Loving Tet Journey in 2026 in Dak O commune. Activities included zero-VND stalls, folk games, free food stalls, life skills education for children, and the presentation of Team ceremonial uniforms, scholarships, and Tet gifts to disadvantaged children.

As part of the "Give Love - Bring Smiles" program held at the Provincial Social Work Center and Phuc Lam Shelter of Love, the Youth Union and Ho Chi Minh Young Pioneer organizations organized games and presented milk and teddy bears to children receiving care and nurturing there. In addition, numerous activities were carried out to bring love and support to children in remote, isolated, and border areas of the province.

Experiencing the Tet atmosphere early

In addition to giving gifts to disadvantaged children, all departments, sectors, and schools in the province also organize many activities to help children experience the Tet atmosphere early and learn about the nation's traditional Tet through various diverse forms.

Participating in the program, children had the chance to explore folk game booths with prizes, calligraphy corners, traditional food stalls, and more. With a desire to immerse herself in the traditional Tet atmosphere, Tu Nguyen Minh Thu, a student of class 7/5 at Asia Bilingual Primary-Secondary-High School (located in Tran Bien ward), arrived early at Dong Nai Children's House. Minh Thu shared: Because I arrived early, I was able to join in nearly all the activities, from watching lion dances and the 'Celebrating the Party - Celebrating Spring' art performance to experiencing folk games, skill-based games, and active games with prizes; watching calligraphy being written; and enjoying the traditional dishes in the food area... All of these contributed to creating a warm, cozy Vietnamese Tet setting, deeply rooted in national cultural identity.

In addition to the above programs, the Youth Union, Association, and HCM Young Pioneer organizations in the province also organized the "Tet of Sharing" program for families of young workers. The initiative included giving backpacks, school supplies, stuffed animals, toys, milk, and confectionery to the children of young workers at the Long Thanh Team (Dong Nai Rubber Corporation), among others, helping bring the children a warm and loving Tet.

NGUYEN TRAN PHUONG HA, Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Youth Union, Chairwoman of the HCM Young Pioneer Association

Alongside Tet decoration activities, schools across the province were vibrant in the days leading up to the Lunar New Year, with energetic camp and spring festivals. Nguyen Thi Ngoc Minh, Deputy Secretary of the Youth Union at Lac Hong Bilingual Primary-Secondary-High School (located in Tran Bien ward), said: On the last day of January, the school hosted the Lac Hong Spring Colors program with a wide range of activities, attracting nearly 3,000 students across all grade levels. This event has been held by the school consistently for the past three years, ahead of the Lunar New Year.

Cao Minh Khanh Ngoc, a student in class 3D at Lac Hong Bilingual Primary-Secondary-High School, said: This is the 3rd time I have participated in the Lac Hong Colors program. The program is excellent and beneficial. We took part in various booths where we experienced making To He, sand paintings, statue painting, calligraphy, balloon art, and Dong Ho printmaking, as well as folk game booths, food stalls and many more. These activities recreated the traditional beauty of the Vietnamese Lunar New Year, a tradition that needs to be preserved. Therefore, I hope that in the coming years, the school will continue to organize these meaningful activities so that students have the chance to take part and experience them. Through that, they will help raise awareness and foster a sense of responsibility in each person to preserve and pass on the values of the Vietnamese Lunar New Year.

By Nga Son - Translated by Mai Nga, Minho