The five-fruit tray on Tet is an expression of Vietnamese culture. Depending on the region, the five-fruit tray has different fruits. A full tray of Five Fruits on Tet will show the homeowner’s sincere wish for peace and prosperity, becoming a good custom preserved for many generations.
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| Five-fruit tray is one of the traditions of Vietnamese families during the traditional Tet holiday. |
For Northern people, a beautiful, standard five-fruit tray must include kinds of fruit such as: Green bananas, grapefruit, Buddha’s hand, figs, persimmons, kumquats, chili, pineapple, and more with vibrant but harmonious colors, ensuring compliance with the Five Elements: Metal - White; Wood - Green; Water - Black; Fire - Red; and Earth - Yellow. Five-fruit trays are often displayed on the ancestral altar or on the reception table.
Bananas, displayed in bunches, must be green and symbolize gathering, togetherness, and warmth. Grapefruit is yellow, symbolizing wealth and luck.
Some families replace grapefruit with Buddha’s hand fruit with the hope of keeping gods, Buddha and ancestors in the house longer to bless the homeowner.
Ornamental kumquats, persimmons or red peppers are place around the five-fruit tray because they are bright red and yellow and look extremely beautiful. They are symbols of luck and success. Pineapple has a unique aroma, expressing wishes for a peaceful and prosperous new year.
Northern people often display the five-fruit tray in traditional style by placing a bunch of green bananas at the bottom and carry all the remaining fruits, with grapefruit in the middle, Buddha’s hand, custard apple, peaches, persimmons, mandarins or apples around, and chili and kumquats in empty spaces.
Five-fruit fruit tray is one of the traditions of Vietnamese families during the traditional Tet holiday. Preparing a full, beautiful and meaningful tray of Five Fruit to display on the ancestral altar during Tet and Spring is very important, because Vietnamese people believe that fresh fruit on the altar carries prayers of hope and wishes for peace and prosperity for the family in the new year./.