At 5am on Saturday, 500 people gathered at the main square of the Vietnam National Village for Ethnic Culture and Tourism in Son Tay, Hanoi, to join in a program to make Chung cakes for the poor to welcome Tet. Participants include Son Tay Town’s Youth Union members, Buddhist followers, and soldiers of the Army Officers Training School No.1. In addition to preparing all the ingredients, the program organizers have invited artisans from Hanoi’s Uoc Le village to teach the participants how to make Chung cakes. Many young children also take part in the program. Tran Truc Linh is one of them: "I’m very happy and proud to take part in such a meaningful program like this. It has helped me better understand our traditional cultures and contribute my efforts to help less fortunate people enjoy a happy Tet."

Soldiers of the Army Officers Training School No.1 took part in the program in 2015. Photo: thanhtra.com.vn

Wrapped chung cakes are ready to be put into pig pots and boiled. Tran Tuan Anh, a member of Son Tay Town’s Youth Union, said activities like this help Vietnamese people, young and old alike, to show their solidarity with and support to each other, and to promote Vietnam’s fine tradition of encouraging the have helping the haves not: "Young people like me want to do something to bring small gifts to poor patients during this lunar New Year Festival. I want to call on other peers to join efforts to help disadvantaged people."

On Sunday morning, Chung cakes and Tet gifts will be brought to war veterans at hospitals, orphans, poor ethnic children, disadvantaged people, and Agent Orange/dioxin victims, in provinces of Son La, Ha Giang, and Cao Bang. Professor Dr. Nguyen Ngoc Sinh, Chairman of Vietnam Association of Environment and Natural Protection, one of the program’s organizers, said: "We are glad that poor people will have Chung cakes to enjoy during Tet. We hope that disadvantaged people will feel warmer in their hearts with this program and more activities like this will be held in the future."

Students take part in the process of making Chung cakes. Photo: VNA

The program also includes various activities to recreate the Tet atmosphere of Muong and Thai ethnic minorities. Visitors can watch local ethnic artisans preparing their traditional cakes for Tet and take part in many interesting activities to welcome spring. A big neu tree has been erected at the Village to pay respect to the Genies, drive away bad lucks of the old year, and wish for a new year of peace and happiness.