The full moon of December is an important holiday in the spiritual life of Vietnamese people, often chosen by many families to worship early or on the full moon day depending on time conditions.
In the period from December 12th to 15th of the lunar calendar, the two days of most interest are still 14th and 15th, because this is the approaching time, fully meaningful for the ritual to commemorate ancestors and gods.
According to the Van Nien calendar, the 14th day of the twelfth lunar month brings the five elements of Heaven, River, and Water. Although it is not a great auspicious day, it is still considered a favorable time to carry out rituals with many beautiful hours of the day.
The prime hours include Ty hour (23:00-1:00), Suu hour (1:00-3:00), Mao hour (5:00-7:00), Ngo hour (11:00-13:00), Than hour (3:00-17:00) and Dau hour (5:00-7:00). For busy families, worshiping on the 14th day of the lunar calendar helps to be proactive in time while still ensuring customary elements.
On the 15th day of the twelfth lunar month (ie, the full moon), although this is the dark day, there are still many good hours to perform rituals, especially in the early morning and late afternoon. Beautiful hours are the Tiger hour (3am-5am), Cat hour (5am-7am), Snake hour (9am-11am), Monkey hour (3pm-5pm), Dog hour (7pm-9pm) and Pig hour (9pm-11pm), often chosen because they symbolize smooth, complete and cozy reunion.
Regarding offerings, homeowners can prepare a vegetarian or savory offering tray depending on each family's tradition.
Vegetarian trays usually have flower scent, fruits, betel and areca, clean water and symbolic votive paper. If making a savory tray, many families choose familiar dishes such as boiled chicken, spring rolls, stir-fried dishes, soup and a small glass of wine.
When preparing for the ceremony, fresh food should be prioritized, arranged neatly, and avoid being cumbersome. The worship space is cleaned, warm lights and gentle incense smoke will create a solemn feeling.
