Discuss the similarities and differences

The New Year Festivals in Viet Nam and other ASEAN countries have some similarities and differences, which are outlined below.

Similarities:

• Both Viet Nam and other ASEAN countries celebrate their New Year Festivals to honour their ancestors and wish for good luck, prosperity, and health for the year to come.
• The New Year Festivals in both Viet Nam and other ASEAN countries involve family gathering, big family meals, decorations, and art performances.
• Fireworks are lit to scare away bad luck during the Lunar New Year celebrations in Viet Nam, Singapore, Indonesia, and parts of Malaysia, while water is used to wash away bad luck during the New Year celebrations in Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, and Myanmar.

Differences:

• The time of the New Year Festivals in Viet Nam and other ASEAN countries is different. Viet Nam, Singapore, Indonesia, and parts of Malaysia celebrate their New Year Festivals in January or February according to the lunar calendar, while Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, and Myanmar celebrate theirs in April according to the Buddhist calendar.
• The way of offering respect to ancestors and receiving wishes for good luck and health is different between Viet Nam and other ASEAN countries. In Viet Nam, people burn incense and offer food and drinks to their ancestors at home altars or temples, while in Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, and Myanmar, people offer rice to Buddhist monks and receive wishes from them.
• The New Year Festivals in Viet Nam and other ASEAN countries have different traditional dishes. For example, in Viet Nam, people usually eat sticky rice cakes and boiled chicken, while in Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, and Myanmar, people eat various traditional dishes such as papaya salad, fish soup, or sticky rice balls.

In summary, while there are some similarities between the New Year Festivals in Viet Nam and other ASEAN countries, the differences in timing, customs, and traditional dishes reflect the unique cultural identities of each country.