Epic Festivities
Four countries
"Vietnamese Festivals & Celebrations"
"Tết" - the Vietnamese Lunar New Year
Tet is Vietnam’s most vibrant celebration, when the whole country bursts into color and joy to welcome a hopeful new year. Blossoming streets, dazzling fireworks, and warm family gatherings create an atmosphere that feels both festive and deeply meaningful. More than a new-year celebration, Tet is a beautiful moment of tradition, renewal, and heartfelt connection.
Typical Activities
Takes place from late January to mid-February, depending on the lunar calendar
Making bánh chưng
and bánh tét
gathering with family to prepare traditional New Year foods
New Year greetings and giving lucky money
exchanging warm wishes
and spreading luck for the year ahead
Cleaning and decorating
the house
refreshing the home to welcome good fortune and positive energy
Mid-Autumn Festival
The Mid-Autumn Festival is a magical night in Vietnam, glowing with lanterns, lively lion dances, and the sweet scent of mooncakes. Beneath the brightest full moon of the year, families come together and children fill the streets with laughter—creating a warm, charming celebration that captivates visitors from around the world.
Celebrated on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month
Lantern parades
children carry colorful lanterns through the streets
Lion and dragon dances
lively performances fill the air with energy
Making and enjoying mooncakes
a sweet tradition shared by families and friends
🌕 Fun and Magical Stories of the Mid-Autumn Festival
1. The Full Moon and Cuội
Once upon a time, Cuội climbed a magical banyan tree to find medicine for his mother, but the tree suddenly lifted him up to the sky. Since then, Cuội has lived on the moon beside his banyan tree. Every Mid-Autumn Festival, children carry lanterns, look up at the moon, and remember Cuội – the magical legendary friend who is always with them.
Lesson: Encourages imagination, creativity,
and a connection to folk traditions.
2. The Magical Mooncake
One day, a boy named Nam received a mooncake from his grandmother. When he took a bite, he suddenly became tiny like Cuội and found himself in a magical garden where mooncakes grew on trees. There, Nam learned how to share and help others. When he woke up, he realized that the joy of sharing mooncakes was even sweeter than the cake itself.
Lesson: Mid-Autumn Festival is not just about eating cakes but sharing, togetherness, and love.
3. The Lantern Parade Night
On the Mid-Autumn night, a girl named Linh wanted to make the most beautiful lantern in the street. As she carried her glowing lantern in the parade, it suddenly shone like a guiding light for lost children, helping them find their way home. Since then, Linh was called “the Moonlight Girl”, and she realized that the magic of the festival wasn’t in the lanterns or mooncakes, but in joy and caring for others.
Lesson: The joy of Mid-Autumn Festival is bringing light and happiness to everyone.
"Chinese Festivals & Celebrations"
Moon Viewing and Reunion
Lantern Festival
The Lantern Festival is one of China’s traditional festivals, celebrated on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, which is also the first full moon night of the year. The Lantern Festival is not only a celebration, but also embodies the Chinese cultural tradition of valuing family, pursuing harmony, and joy.
Eating glutinous rice balls
Symbolizing reunion and happiness
Enjoying the lanterns
Lantern festivals are held in various places, featuring lanterns of various shapes and sizes, creating a lively and festive atmosphere.
Riddle-guessing
Riddles written on lanterns for everyone to guess, blending education with fun.
Dragon Boat Festival
Riddles inscribed on lanterns invite everyone to guess, blending education with entertainment. To commemorate Qu Yuan, the patriotic poet of the Warring States period, people toss zongzi and race dragon boats to express their sorrow. Wishes for blessings and well-being are also celebrated as a national intangible cultural heritage and a UNESCO-recognized intangible cultural heritage festival.
Eating zongzi
Glutinous rice is used to wrap fillings such as red dates and meat, then enclosed in bamboo or reed leaves, symbolizing health and good fortune.
Dragon boat racing
Symbolizing unity and strength, it also originates from the legend of people rowing boats to rescue Qu Yuan.
Wearing a scented pouch
Fragrant repellents ward off disease and also carry auspicious symbolism.
"Hungarian Festivals & Celebrations"
Hungarian holidays and folk traditions form a colorful blend of historical remembrance, Christian customs, and ancient rural rituals that have been passed down for generations. Alongside official national holidays, people celebrate seasonal folk customs, festivals, and community events that highlight Hungary’s rich cultural identity. From solemn commemorations to vibrant, noisy celebrations, these traditions reflect both the country’s turbulent past and its joyful, community-centered rural heritage.
Hungarian Folk Traditions
Hungarian folk traditions preserve centuries-old customs, seasonal rites, and community celebrations that connect people to their cultural roots.
The Busójárás
The Busójárás in Mohács is a lively, mask-filled carnival held at the end of winter, where participants dressed as “busós” parade noisily through the streets to symbolically chase away the cold season. This UNESCO-listed event blends pagan elements, music, dancing, and humorous mischief into one of Hungary’s most famous folk festivities.
Easter Sprinkling
Easter sprinkling is a traditional Hungarian custom in which boys visit girls on Easter Monday, reciting short rhymes and lightly sprinkling them with water or perfume to symbolize renewal and good health. In return, the girls offer painted eggs, chocolates, or small treats, keeping this playful and charming ritual alive across the country.
"Mongolian Festivals & Celebrations"
Naadam Festival (Наадам) — “Three Manly Games” Mongolia’s Most Thrilling Summer Celebration
Naadam is Mongolia’s most iconic summer festival, celebrating the Three Manly Games — wrestling, horse racing, and archery. Each July, the country comes alive with colorful traditional costumes, energetic performances, and thrilling competitions that showcase Mongolia’s deep cultural pride.
The Three Manly Games—wrestling, horse racing, and archery—showcase Mongolia’s strength, skill, and ancient warrior traditions during Naadam.
Wrestling
A powerful test of strength and skill where wrestlers compete until only one remains standing.
Horse racing
Long-distance races across the steppe led by young jockeys who ride with incredible speed and bravery.
Archery
A traditional contest where archers use handcrafted bows to hit distant targets with precision and grace.
What Is Tsagaan Sar?
Tsagaan Sar, meaning “White Moon,” is Mongolia’s Lunar New Year and one of the most important and sacred holidays in Mongolian culture. It marks the end of winter and the beginning of spring, symbolizing purity, renewal, and a fresh start. The exact date changes every year because it follows the lunar calendar, usually falling in late January or February.
It is a time when families gather from near and far, wearing traditional deel and preparing their homes to welcome good fortune for the new year. Tsagaan Sar reflects the deep values of Mongolian nomadic life—respect for elders, harmony with nature, and strong family bonds.
Before the holiday, families prepare for days:
Deep house cleaning to remove old energy and invite luck.
Making hundreds of buuz (steamed dumplings) together.
Building the kheviin boov (ceremonial cookie tower).
Preparing holiday clothes, usually brand-new deel.
Getting gifts ready for relatives (tea, scarves, sweets, etc.).
All these preparations show readiness to start the new year fresh and positively.
During Tsagaan Sar, families follow meaningful customs:
Zolgokh greeting: Younger people support elders’ arms to show respect.
Visiting relatives in a specific order, starting with the oldest family members.
Sharing traditional foods: buuz, dairy products, boiled sheep’s back, and milk tea.
Giving and receiving gifts for good fortune.
These traditions strengthen family bonds, bring blessings, and keep Mongolia’s culture alive.