Before Tet which peaks on Feb. 12 this year, stores in the Old Quarter sell many buffalo-shaped items since 2021 is the Year of the Buffalo.
Here, an eye catching golden buffalo stands in front of a shop on Hang Ma Street, alongside faux flowers and foam decorations.
The buffalo is made entirely of foam, covered with golden paint and nearly the size of a real animal. The vendor said the buffalo was made for display, but he could sell it for VND10 million ($434).
Buffaloes made of hard-pressed foam with cartoony expressions are popular this year. On Hang Ma Street only a few shops sell this item, with prices ranging from VND100,000 ($4.3) to VND500,000 for one.
Two kids were taken by their mother to the Old Quarter to take photos and buy Tet decorations.
Thanh Yen from Ho Chi Minh City, the mother said: "The red color of the street is very beautiful. The products here are very diverse and come with lovely looks."
Huong Giang from Ha Nam Province said this is the first time she came to a Tet market in Hanoi's Old Quarter.
In addition to shopping for decorations for her peach blossom tree, Giang also took some photos here.
To celebrate Tet, shops are filled with decorative items and lucky money envelopes for the Year of the Buffalo.
Traditional Tet-style decorations like paper watermelons, sticky rice cakes (banh chung) and cylindric glutinous rice cakes (banh tet) are up for sale, from VND60,000.
This year, some stores also sell Japanese kumquat trees. These trees are easy to grow and take care of, with fruit ranging in color. A tree sells for VND200,000 to VND350,000 depending on the size of the pot.
The Old Quarter’s Tet market, also known as Hang Luoc Market, is a traditional feature of Hanoi. The market is held once a year and lasts for about two weeks before Tet.
Shop owners and visitors here all wear masks to follow Covid-19 prevention measures.
Visitors who want to take photos at the stalls should get permission from shop owners first. Note that you should not stand in front of the store to take photos without buying something in the morning, since many people think it would jinx business.
This year's Tet market is held on streets like Hang Luoc, Hang Khoai, Hang Ruoi, Hang Ma and Phung Hung. In addition to decorative goods and silk flowers, the market sells peach blossoms, kumquat trees and some other types of fresh flowers on Phung Hung Street.
