Her maternal extended family comprises more than 90 members, led by Nguyen Thi Teo (commonly known as Grandma Tuong, 94), Huong's maternal grandmother. The family trips serve as an opportunity to connect members, giving generations the chance to grow close, share, and understand one another.

In previous years, Huong's family traveled to the former Quang Binh Province, Phu Tho, Ninh Binh, and other destinations. On those occasions, due to health limitations, Tuong was unable to join.

This year, wishing to have the pillar of the family alongside her descendants for a meaningful occasion, Huong's family decided to select Giao Ninh Beach (Ninh Binh Province), located 15 kilometers from home, as their destination. The two-day, one-night trip took place on August 8–9.

"My grandmother is 94 years old. While she is still able to travel with her descendants, we wanted to arrange a suitable itinerary so she could join us.

Young people will have many more summers ahead of them, but for elderly people, moments when they can see all their children and grandchildren gathered together and hear generations of family members laughing together are truly precious,” Huong said.

Because most family members now live and work far from home, the trip was carefully planned. On the morning of August 8, a 35-seat bus picked up relatives in Hanoi before heading to Ninh Binh to collect other family members and continue to the destination. A total of 82 people joined the trip.

The family rented a spacious villa with multiple bedrooms to ensure everyone had comfortable accommodations. During the getaway, they organized a variety of bonding activities, including birthday celebrations for children and great-grandchildren, a lucky draw with gifts for grandparents and parents, and family games.

Children who had won provincial academic awards or achieved outstanding academic results received gifts in recognition of their accomplishments. Family members who had already graduated and entered the workforce shared their experiences to inspire and encourage the younger generation.

Another tradition maintained every year is a joint birthday celebration for children across the extended family. This gives younger members a chance to gather, sing birthday songs and spend time together.

This year, more than 80 family members blew out candles, cut the birthday cake and celebrated together. The most emotional moment came when Tuong joined the celebration, surrounded by her children and grandchildren as she enjoyed the songs, laughter and warmth of the family reunion.

She carefully kept the small gift her descendants gave her that evening. She repeatedly told her six daughters how happy she was to see her family united, loving and close-knit.

“For our grandmother and for all of us, having four generations together on one trip is more than just a vacation. It brings everyone closer and helps us understand one another better. Seeing four generations in the same family photo made us truly appreciate the continuity of our family through time,” Huong said.

The guiding matriarch

Tuong has 10 children - four sons and six daughters. Two of her sons have passed away, including one who was a fallen soldier.

After her husband died, she continued living alone at her home in Xuan Giang Commune. Her six daughters live nearby, while her two surviving sons visit her regularly three or four times a month.

Tuong remains healthy and mentally sharp. She can still cook rice and take care of her daily needs independently. Although her eyesight has deteriorated and she can no longer clearly recognize faces, she can accurately identify her children and grandchildren by their voices.

“My grandmother is extremely careful and remembers everything. She has a small cabinet secured with several locks, but inside are only old clothes and a few expired bags of sugar. We think it's her own little world, so we leave it untouched,” Huong said.

Tuong has more than 90 children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. On family anniversaries, Lunar New Year, birthdays and other special occasions, they all return home to gather around her. The normally quiet courtyard fills with laughter and conversation, allowing her to enjoy the warmth of a large, close-knit family.

“Our grandmother is the family's great matriarch and the bond that connects every generation. We only hope she stays healthy and lives for many more years so she can join us on many more family trips,” Huong said.

Thanh Minh