A Vietnamese family visits ancestors' tombs

They light incense at the graves, sum up the family’s major events during theyear for their ancestors and invite the deceased to “go home” to enjoy Tet withthe alive.

Thenfamily members uproot weeds, tend to the flowers growing on ancestors’ gravesites and clean the grave stones. 

Vietnamese people believe everything, including the deceased’s tombs, should beclean and bright in celebration of Tet in order to have good luck in the newyear.

Many considers tomb sweeping day not only a chance for family reunion but alsofor children and grandchildren to fulfill their duties and show respect toparents and the ancestors as a whole. 

After the tomb sweeping day, Vietnamese families often prepare a six-dish trayof food on the last day of the last lunar month to welcome ancestors back homefor Tet. A send-off party will be held on the third or fourth day of the first lunarmonth, accordingly the local or family tradition./