Festivals

Apricot-blossom branch

In the South, Tết is unthinkable without a branch or a pot of golden apricot blossom. As Tết approached every house picked out a tree, and many stripped its leaves around the twenty-third day of the twelfth lunar month so the flowers would open on time, then went out every day to check whether the buds had burst.

Bloom too early and it was a pity, bloom too late and everyone worried; all hoped to open the door on the first morning and see the branch in full golden flower like a blessing for the whole year. Petals fell all over the porch, and sweeping them up still felt like a shame.

Do you remember? Does your family display apricot or peach blossom at Tết?

💬 Everyone's memories

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