Meaning & How to Prepare Five-Fruit Tray for Tet in the North

06/01/2024

Fruit tray is an indispensable traditional cultural feature in every Vietnamese family during Tet. Decorating the five-fruit tray on Tet not only means praying for a peaceful and happy new year but also shows the respect of descendants to grandparents and ancestors. Currently, there are many different ways to decorate the fruit tray on Tet depending on each region. So how to display the five-fruit tray on Tet in the North? What are the taboos when displaying the fruit tray on Tet? Let's find out with Pasta Fresca Saigon right after this!

The meaning of the five-fruit tray on Tet holiday

The five-fruit tray on Tet holiday is not only a delicate decoration, but also carries deep meanings about culture, spirituality and family. Each type of fruit represents the good wishes of the homeowner in the new year. 

For Vietnamese people, on the fruit tray, there are usually 5 different types of fruit. Because they wish to pray for 5 blessings to come to the house:   

  • Phu: Rich, lots of things
  • Noble: Luxurious quality
  • Longevity: Live to be a hundred years old
  • Khang: Have good health
  • Ninh: Peaceful life

In addition, the arrangement of the five-fruit tray also has specific rules. The number 5 represents luck, sustainable development, very good in feng shui. Therefore, Vietnamese people choose 5 types of fruit to display on Tet holiday with the aim of wanting yin and yang, heaven and earth to be in harmony, everything will be favorable, smooth and successful for the coming new year.

The five-fruit tray is an indispensable traditional cultural feature in every Vietnamese family during Tet holiday.
The meaning of the five-fruit tray on Tet holiday

Tet fruit tray in the North

For Northerners, the decoration of the fruit tray for Tet holiday must not only be beautiful but also in accordance with feng shui. The fruits chosen for display usually have 5 colors following the Five Elements: Metal (white), Wood (green), Water (black), Fire (red), Earth (yellow). 

So what is on the Tet fruit tray in the North? A standard five-fruit tray for Northerners must have: green bananas, grapefruit, Buddha's hand, kumquat, pomegranate, pineapple, persimmon, etc. Nowadays, the way of arranging fruits on the family altar has become much richer. Northerners can display many other types of fruit to form nine or ten fruits depending on their preferences.

The fruits chosen for display usually have 5 colors following the Five Elements.
The fruit tray on Tet holiday in the North must follow the 5 colors of the Five Elements.

The meaning of fruits on the Tet fruit tray in the North

Green banana

Green bananas symbolize abundance, reunion, and family unity. The image of a bunch of green bananas curving around other fruits also symbolizes mutual support and protection. 

Grapefruit

A plump grapefruit with intact green leaves symbolizes the wish for a new year of abundance, happiness, luck, well-being and prosperity.

Buddha's hand fruit

Buddha's hand has a special shape, like the hand of Buddha giving blessings. This fruit symbolizes luck and fortune. When displaying Buddha's hand, Northerners feel protected and blessed by Buddha.

Pomegranate

Pomegranate is round, pink on the outside, and has many seeds inside, which are likened to beautiful crystals. This represents prosperity and many children and grandchildren as desired by many families.

Kumquat

An indispensable fruit on the Tet fruit tray of Northern people is kumquat. When displaying this fruit, people wish for good things, success and prosperity in the new year.

Each type of fruit on the Northern Tet fruit tray represents the homeowner's good wishes for the new year.
Each type of fruit on the Northern Tet fruit tray represents the homeowner's good wishes for the new year.

How to decorate the Tet fruit tray of Northern people

In the Northern fruit tray, fruits will be arranged in alternating colors to create a lively and harmonious color scheme. A common layout is that a bunch of green bananas will be placed at the bottom to support and cover the surrounding fruits. Next is a grapefruit or Buddha's hand placed in the middle of the banana bunch. After that, the homeowner will arrange the other fruits to look beautiful and harmonious.

How to choose fruit to display on Tet holiday in the North

  • When choosing fruit to display on the five-fruit tray, be careful to choose fresh, unbruised fruit.
  • The fruit on the five-fruit tray should have all five colors: green, red, yellow, white, black, symbolizing the five elements.
  • You should display the fruit tray about 1-2 days before Tet so that the fruit is fresh and delicious.

Taboos when displaying the five-fruit tray on Tet holiday in the North

Some things to keep in mind when displaying the five-fruit tray so as not to affect the fortune of the whole year.
Some things to keep in mind when displaying the five-fruit tray so as not to affect your fortune for the whole year.

Do not choose beautiful ripe fruit

The fruit tray is usually displayed for a long time during Tet. Therefore, if you choose ripe fruits with beautiful colors to display, they will easily spoil. This is considered unlucky in the first days of the year. You should choose fruits that are still green or almost ripe, which will be just right for Tet.

Do not display fake fruit.

Using fake fruit for display is a taboo that should not be violated. This is considered disrespectful to grandparents and ancestors, and can easily lead to reprimands and affect the family's luck in the new year.

Do not wash fruit before steaming. 

Many families have the habit of washing fruits before displaying them on the fruit tray. However, washing them with water will cause the fruits to ripen and spoil quickly. Therefore, when buying them, people only need to use a damp paper towel to wipe the fruits.

Decorate with flowers on the fruit tray

The fruit tray should only display fruit, not flowers or other objects. Fruit symbolizes luck and prosperity. Flowers and other objects can bring bad luck and misfortune to the family.

Do not display thorny fruits.

Thorny fruit symbolizes roughness, not smooth, can bring bad luck. 

Epilogue

The above article has shared detailed information related to the Tet fruit tray in the North. Hopefully, the information in the article will help you better understand the unique culture of this region.

Besides, if you are in Saigon and want to find a private, cozy space to enjoy dinner with your family or lover during Tet, then Pasta Fresca Saigon is the ideal destination for you. With delicious, European-style dishes and an extremely "chill" romantic setting, it will be a very memorable experience in the first days of the new year. Contact us today for advice and to book a table as soon as possible! 

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