The year-end worship ceremony, a cherished Vietnamese tradition, signals the closing of the old year and the welcoming of the new. Experts have shared the most auspicious dates and times for performing this sacred ritual in 2025.

The traditional year-end offering, or lễ cúng tất niên, is a vital ritual in Vietnamese culture, marking the end of the old year and welcoming the new with gratitude and hope.

The Kitchen Gods ceremony, held on the 23rd day of the last lunar month, is a time-honored tradition where families bid farewell to the deities as they ascend to heaven.

The “Ong Cong, Ong Tao” (Land Genie and Kitchen Gods) worshipping ritual, held on the 23rd day of the 12th lunar month, which falls on February 2 this year, is also considered the start of the Lunar New Year (Tet) festival.

The travel site Culture Trip has listed a number of Vietnamese customs that often surprise foreign tourists:

A 19-century Buddhist statue of Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva with a thousand hands and a thousand eyes — a treasure of the Me So Pagoda in the northern province of Hung Yen’s Me So Commune, Van Giang District, was stolen

 VietNamNet Bridge – In the near future, foreign-style stone lions with fierce looks, large paws and sharp teeth are expected to be removed from relics, pagodas and temples throughout the country.

VietNamNet Bridge – The Culture, Sports and Tourism Ministry has promulgated a document warning agencies and individuals not to exhibit or use symbols or objects unsuited to Vietnamese customs and culture.

 VietNamNet Bridge – The nation as a whole is caught up in preparations for celebrating the Lunar New Year festival, known popularly as Tet, which falls on January 31 this year.