Tết in the States 2025

PROJECTS

To provide the Vietnamese community in the US and international friends with an opportunity to experience the warm atmosphere of Tết, Nam Ngọc Hiên has taken on the role of cultural and artistic director for the Tết in the States series organized by the non-profit organization Vietnam Society.

This year, the Tết in the States 2025 event will be held at two prestigious locations: the Daughters of the American Revolution Museum (DAR) and the Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art (NMAA).

Daughters of the American Revolution Museum (DAR)

Event: DAR Holiday Open House

  • Time: December 11th, 2024 – February 10th, 2025
  • Address: DAR Memorial Continental Hall, 17th and D Streets, NW, Washington, D.C.
  • Admission: Free to the public

National Museum of Asian Art Smithsonian (NMAA)

Event: Lunar New Year Family Festival

  • Time: February 1st, 2025
  • Address: TBU
  • Admission: Free to the public

Tết in the States is a cultural and artistic series designed to introduce the unique characteristics of the Vietnamese Lunar New Year to the community. The 2025 program offers participants the opportunity to appreciate and experience the following activities:

Instruction: HANDBOOK FOR THE TẾT SEASON
Venue: DAR & NMAA

Handbook for the Tết Season

Participants will learn about the Vietnamese Lunar New Year, with a focus on the traditional customs and activities celebrated from the twelfth lunar month all the way to the third month.

READ THE HANDBOOK
Display: TRADITIONAL ANCESTRAL ALTAR AND TẾT FEASTS
Venue: DAR

Traditional Ancestral Altar & Tết Feasts

Inspired by the traditional ancestral altar of the Southern Vietnamese, Nam Ngọc Hiên has recreated the ambiance of a Tết feast, featuring familiar objects on such altars and traditional dishes in Vietnamese cuisine.

READ THE CATALOGUE
Display: SPRING GREETING ALTAR
Địa điểm: NMAA

Spring Greeting Altar

This special altar isn’t permanent — it’s set up on the last day of the old year to welcome the new one. Placed outside under the open sky, it symbolizes a connection between heaven and earth. Nam Ngọc Hiên has set up the Vietnamese traditional Spring Greeting Altar in the space of the NMAA Museum.

READ THE HANDBOOK
Activity: MAKE A PAINTING FOR YOUR ANCESTORS
Venue: DAR & NMAA

Make a Painting for Your Ancestors

The Ancestral Painting is a common sight in Vietnamese households. It reflects the profound appreciation for ancestors, illustrating their support for future generations, the longing felt for them, and the increasing fortune and longevity of the family.

Participants will receive a kit that includes the stickers to complete the painting. After placing the stickers in their correct positions, they will personalize the painting with their family name and the names of family members for whom they wish to pray for good fortune.

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE PAINTING
Activity: MAKE YOUR MOON THREAD LOVE CHARM
Venue: DAR & NMAA

Make Your Moon Thread Love Charm

Each participant will receive a Moon Thread love charm kit including a painting of Mister Thread and Madam Moon (the deities who bless and safeguard love and relationships in Vietnamese culture), a decoration tassel, and a red ribbon strip.

Participants will write down their name and their beloved’s name on the back of the painting, decorate it with the tassel, and tie the red ribbon to the top of the charm. They can hang this charm as an ornament on a tree or anywhere. This way, the two deities will watch over and protect their relationship.

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE PAINTING
Activity: COLOR YOUR TẾT BLOCK PRINT
Venue: DAR & NMAA

Color Your Tết Block Print

Participants can take home a block print to decorate their house. Each print showcases a painting in the traditional Vietnamese style, accompanied by a folk poem carved in chữ Nôm, an ancient Vietnamese writing system.

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE PRINTS

Set in the artistic atmospheres of the Daughters of the American Revolution Museum (DAR) and the Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art (NMAA), Tết in the States 2025 is more than just a cultural event; it’s an immersive journey into the heart of Vietnamese Tết traditions.

The program offers international friends a unique opportunity to immerse themselves in the festive atmosphere of Tết and explore its rich cultural heritage. Through meaningful exhibits and engaging activities, Tết in the States 2025 serves as a bridge, fostering an understanding of the significance and value of the Vietnamese Lunar New Year among the public in Washington D.C.

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