Western son-in-law’s impressive Vietnamese Lunar New Year celebration in Da Nang

For years, Scott experienced traditional Vietnamese Lunar New Year (or Tet) celebrations in the heart of Ha Noi’s Old Quarter.

For years, Scott experienced traditional Vietnamese Lunar New Year (or Tet) celebrations in the heart of Ha Noi’s Old Quarter.

As a foreign son-in-law in a Vietnamese family, he immersed himself in customs that define Tet: year-end house cleaning, shopping for peach blossoms and kumquat trees, preparing offerings for ancestors, and sharing reunion meals.

This year, however, brought a different experience. For the first time, Scott and his wife stayed for Tet in Da Nang, where they have lived for the past two years.

Ha Noi introduced him to the ceremonial depth of Vietnam’s northern traditions while Da Nang offered a new perspective shaped by the breezy climate of Central Vietnam, where mountains, rivers and the sea converge, and where daily life feels closely tied to nature.

Scott describes Da Nang as “truly special.” The slower pace, fresh seafood and produce available each day, and the warmth of neighbors have given his family what he calls “a genuinely wholesome life”.

Tet in Da Nang, he says, feels peaceful yet vibrant. The sense of reunion is tangible: children’s laughter echoing through neighborhoods, neighbors calling out invitations to share festive meals, and heartfelt wishes exchanged for health and prosperity.

For Scott, these scenes reveal how Tet reaches far beyond the family home, binding entire communities together in a shared celebration of renewal.

The most memorable moment of this year’s Tet for Scott and his family was being invited as an honorary guest to a private scholarship ceremony hosted by one of his students’ families.

Held in the early days of spring, the gathering is a long-standing clan tradition aimed at encouraging academic dedication among younger generations.

Scott said he felt both proud and fortunate to attend, not only as a guest, but as a teacher who has guided the children in their studies, and to gain deeper insight into Vietnam’s enduring culture of educational encouragement.

His Tet in Da Nang, while different from the structured rituals of Ha Noi, illuminated a broader truth about Vietnam. Across regions, the details may vary, from northern pagoda visits to central coastal gatherings, but the essence remains constant: reverence for family, respect for tradition, communal solidarity and hope for renewal.

In the warmth of Central Vietnam’s hospitality, Scott found another expression of the same spirit that defines the holiday nationwide - a spirit of connection, gratitude and optimism that continues to shape Vietnam’s cultural identity.