9 days of Tet break are not enough

Readers shared their thoughts on how the holiday could be extended to allow for a more fulfilling experience.

Van Quyen Le, who works in the south but hails from central Vietnam, commented: "Nine days off for Tet holiday is still too short. I only go home once a year, and it takes me two days to travel by plane. I think adding two or three more days after Tet would be more reasonable." Le also noted that some companies offer extended breaks, allowing workers to take leave until the 10th day of the Lunar New Year. "Starting the holiday early gives people more time to shop and decorate their homes before Tet. It's a change worth keeping," she added.

This year, the government has approved a nine-day Tet break starting on Jan. 25, four days before the Lunar New Year. It includes two weekends and is thus longer than the seven-day Tet break in previous years.

Le Van Trong expressed frustration with the short holiday, especially for workers who are far from home: "Short Tet holidays are tough for people working far from home. Flights, trains, and buses are overwhelmed as people rush back to their hometowns. Tet should be relaxing, but in recent years, the late start of the holiday leaves little time to relax before we return to work."

Hung Hue supported the idea of starting Tet holidays earlier, suggesting a longer break: "The Tet holiday schedule should be fixed to make planning easier. A 12 to 14-day break starting from the 26th day of the last lunar month would allow people to plan their trips more comfortably, especially with today's high airfares. Not everyone can afford to buy a ticket home, especially for a short holiday."

Le Duy Hoang argued for an even longer holiday, suggesting a 15-day Tet break: "A 15-day holiday might seem too long to some, but it would better align with Vietnamese social and cultural traditions. For example, a holiday from the 22nd of the last lunar month would allow workers time to prepare for the family feast on the 23rd (the day Vietnamese people would perform the rituals to send kitchen's gods to heaven to report on the families' affairs over the year). With this longer schedule, far-from-home workers would have enough time to clean their homes, return to their hometowns, and prepare for Tet rituals. It would also boost tourism and service industries." Hoang emphasized that a longer Tet holiday would bring back traditions that many workers have missed due to returning home too late.

As the debate continues, many workers hope for a change in future Tet schedules that would allow for a more relaxed and enjoyable holiday experience.