Lunar New Year 2026: Celebrating Tết at the KLU Saigon Campus
KLU Saigon’s Campus is celebrating Tết Nguyên Đán, the most important holiday in Vietnamese culture. Marking the beginning of the lunar new year, Tết is a time for family reunions, reflection, and new beginnings. Campus Saigon’s team shares what makes this celebration so meaningful to them.
Tết, short for Tết Nguyên Đán, means “the first morning of the new year” in the lunar calendar. Influenced by the traditional East Asian lunar calendar, the Vietnamese celebration has evolved with strong local customs. 2026 marks the Year of the Horse, a symbol of energy, perseverance, and progress. The year is believed to bring vibrant momentum for those seeking new opportunities, starting ventures, or developing their skills.
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What is Tết at heart?
Dr. Viet Dung Trinh — Campus Director
The Japanese have a word, natsukashisa, describing a quiet nostalgia filled with warmth, reunion, and reflection. For me, Tết feels like natsukashisa.
Susan Brand-Bui — Deputy Campus Director
For me, Tết means weaving through the crowds at Hàng Lược flower market in search of the perfect cherry blossom branch to bring home to my mother — pink blossoms, green bánh chưng, and lucky money in every color.
Phong Nguyen — Student Services & Program Manager
For me, Tết is family reunion, my mother’s cooking, the scent of incense, and relatives asking, “When are you going to get married?”
Dung Pham — Head of Marketing & Recruitment
Vietnamese have a saying: “Mùng Một Tết Cha, Mùng Hai Tết Mẹ, Mùng Ba Tết Thầy” — the first day of Tết is for honoring one’s father, the second for one’s mother, and the third for one’s teachers. I have followed this tradition every year.
We wish everyone a joyful new year filled with happiness, success in new beginnings, and prosperity. May the Year of the Horse bring good fortune to every home.
