The custom of welcoming spring is not the same everywhere. And these exotic Tet customs in the Northwest will surprise you with their unique features!
Each region has its own characteristics in the New Year’s welcoming customs . If you love to learn, you will know the strange New Year’s customs in the Northwest . However, despite their unique and exotic features, these customs all aim for the good meaning of wishing a happy, prosperous and lucky new year. 
Strange New Year’s customs in the Northwest. Photo: Lam Thanh
Learn about the strange New Year customs in the Northwest
Join Vietnam Travelers to learn some strange New Year customs in the Northwest highlands , will definitely make you excited, want to experience it once!
1. The custom of worshiping a bowl of water bowl of the Pa Then
If you pay attention, you will see that on the altar of the ancestors of the Pa Then in Ha Giang there is always a bowl of water. This water bowl must be clean and taken from the headwaters of the cleanest, cleanest stream in the village and kept sealed throughout the year. As a rule, the Pa Then people are never allowed to let the water in the bowl dry up. 
The Pa Then people have the custom of worshiping the bowl of water. Photo: Vntravellive
Every year, the homeowner is only allowed to open the water bowl twice at the end of June to refuel and on the 30th of Tet to replace the new water bowl.
Accordingly, on the New Year’s Eve of 30th New Year, families in Pa Then will close the door, seal all the ventilation holes in the house and cook a pot of chicken porridge for the whole family to gather for Tet. After eating porridge, the owner will go to get a bowl of water from the altar to scrub and change the water.
According to the unique Tet custom of the Pa Then in Ha Giang, this work must be done discreetly because the Pa Then believe that if outsiders see the sacred water bowl being cleaned or changed, the family there will be many bad luck in the new year.
2. The custom of washing hair with sour rice water of white Thai people
On the afternoon of the 30th of Lunar New Year, the White Thai people in Son La have the custom of washing their hair to dispel all the bad luck in the past year – it is a strange New Year’s custom in the Northwest.
White Thais wash their hair in sour water to dispel the bad luck of the old year. Photo: Baomoi
They prepare bowls of soaked rice water and slowly pour it over their hair. This custom is meant to evoke good things for tomorrow to enter the new year very pristine. The shampooing ceremony ends with a boat race between men and women.
3. The custom of stealing the luck of the Lo Lo people
The Lo Lo people in Ha Giang believe that, at the moment of the new year, if someone can bring home something, the family will meet many good things in the new year. Therefore, they stole good luck but did not take many or things of great value, but just onions, garlic bulbs, sticks …
The Lo Lo girls. Photo: Baodantocmiennui
People who go for luck do not go public, do not invite each other, do not want the owner to catch. Everyone goes silently, quietly, meeting acquaintances also does not greet. However, if the owner is caught, they will not be blamed. This is also the cultural beauty of Ha Giang that the Lo Lo people still keep and maintain!
In particular, each family has to steal something and have to get enough number 12. For example, get 12 corns of corn; Take chicken, rice, and fruit for every 12. That’s a lucky number corresponding to 12 months next year.
4. The custom of calling buffalo back to celebrate Tet of the Muong people
Considered “buffalo is industry speculation,” in the New Year, the Muong also not forget to pet this important and spend the holidays with his family – This is considered customary for Tet unique Northwest has passed down a long time ago.
The Muong people call buffalo and buffalo
A few busy days before Tet, people will prepare a bamboo platform, and burn it to the New Year’s Eve to call the buffalo back. Not only that, the Muong people also hang strings of rice cakes on everyday labor tools such as plows, harrows, levers … to invite these “close friends” to celebrate Tet.
This interesting Tet celebration of the Muong ethnic people has a very human significance, expressing human gratitude for the faithful domestic animal that has helped the owner in farming all year round. The Muong people believe that after a year of hard work, a buffalo or a plow deserves a rest.
5. The practice of singing with roosters of Pu Peo people
This is a strange New Year’s custom of the people of Pu Peo , in Ha Giang province. On New Year’s Eve, the Pu Peo people will stay up to watch for their rooster. When the chicken flaps its wings and prepares to crowing, they will light a cannon thrown into the cage to make the chickens in the cage compete to jump up and back to the crowing. 
The Pu Peo people live in Ha Giang. Photo: VOV4
When the rooster crows began to resound, the Pu Peo people also sang along to the sky. For Pu Peo people, the sound of chickens crowing is a sign to awaken the sun and start a good day. Therefore, anyone who sings loudly and sings well, and can drown that sacred crowing, the new year will surely meet many luck and happiness.
6. The custom of sealing houses with red paper of the Cao Lan people
The Cao Lan ethnic people welcome the New Year with the first job to prepare for the new year, which is the custom of pasting red paper in the house (in Cao Lan, it is Chitt).
Accordingly, 2 days before Tet, they will “seal” everything belonging to the family. From the knife, the plow, the harrowing, the hoe, the shovel, the trees around the house, the barn … are all covered with red paper so that these objects can “Tet”. The whole house was suddenly dyed a brilliant red color.
Putting red paper on important places is the start of a new year with the wish for prosperity and good crops.
Put red paper on important items of the Cao Lan people
Also according to Cao Lan ethnic custom, the 1st day will visit relatives, 2nd day is the village. And eating typical dishes on Tet holiday is banh chung, donut, banh giay like other ethnic groups.
During Tet, every Cao Lan family makes shoulder cakes. It is a type of cake made from glutinous rice, wrapped in banana leaves, filled with beans and sugar. And they will use this cake to celebrate the Tet with relatives in the distance. Because the cake is made of a length that can be squeezed on the shoulder, it is called a shoulder cake.
How do you feel about these strange New Year customs in the Northwest ? They all have their own unique characteristics, and each give a good meaning to a new year filled with prosperity and prosperity.
Photo: Internet