The lunar New Year which was celebrated on February 14 in this year of 2010 has a special significance in Vietnam. Not only in Vietnam of course. China and Malaysia amongst other Asian countries also believe in the importance of this occasion.

As with traditions surrounding Christmas or Easter as celebrated by the western world, the lunar New Year also has many more aspects to it than one jump from midnight into the next day.

There are many smaller celebrations that add to the entire event. The most significant part though rests on the family and the community it provides. Of course to start with, the ancestors will need to be honoured.

Vietnam is traditionally still a rural society. The migration to big cities has only just started. This means that almost all Hanoians will migrate to the country side during this time to honour their parents, grandparents or even great grandparents.

It’s a time of visiting, catching up and bringing gifts. Most gifts are in the form of food. This is important in more ways than one. For one whole week all traders and shops close down. If you intend to visit you better bring food!

But then in Vietnam all occasions where gifts are brought, a gift of fruit is always appreciated. That or a contribution of money is welcome. In fact one of the main gifts during this New Year celebration is a red envelope with money.

The money is not necessarily given to assist financially as the amounts are often quite small. The envelope with it’s content is given as a good luck charm. It’s even called ‘Lucky Money’. Wishing for wealth is in fact the big idea during the New Year celebrations.

At the same time as the old year is given the shove, you will find Asia calculating investment and money making opportunities in the new lunar year. The year is under the auspices of a new animal.  In this new year the Tiger rules, with an additional element attached. This Tiger is a metal tiger. That means a whole string of further influences on ones money making efforts.

Buying shares? Then focus on buying stocks that have something to do with metal. Construction could be a good investment for instance, or so it is believed.

Many people from the west observing this culture might consider this emphasis on luck, star constellations, ancestor worship to be based on superstition and not worth taking seriously.

But then the so called developed West tends to make its investment decisions on a whole string of indicators that could be considered as unscientific as the belief in the year of the metal Tiger in Asia.

At the end of the day we are all dictated to by our emotions. Hard logic doesn’t play too big a role in our lives whether we live in Vietnam or in the USA. So who are we to say that believing in the power of our ancestors or the influence of a metal Tiger is any worse than the rules the West lives by!