This phrase has been uttered a fair bit in Vietnam over the past few days. It means, “Gracious wishes of the new spring”, and it’s being said a lot because the Tết festival is taking place, celebrating the arrival of spring based on the Vietnamese calendar (the actual day fell on February 1 this year).
When you look at Teemo’s Peterborough HQ, Tết is not the first thing that springs to mind. However, Tết has become a big part of our lives at Teemo because of our increasingly close link to Vietnam – our second office in Ho Chi Minh City is now home to ten team members and most of our furniture is made in Vietnam.
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Pictured above: Teemo team member Thi Hanh Nguyen (right) and family during this year’s Tet celebration. Purple clothes are traditional during Tet in Vietnam.
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This means Tết looms large in our thoughts! In fact, we start planning for Tết in August each year. That’s because the factories effectively close for around two weeks as workers return home to celebrate and relax with their families. This year, the exodus has been more pronounced because covid means people have been separated for longer than usual.
From a business perspective, Tết provides a challenge. Workload swells in the build-up so the Tết shut-down can take place without causing supply issues. Then, there’s a big catch-up to do in the aftermath.
This picture also shows Thi Hanh Nguyen and her family.
However, like Christmas for us Brits, Tết is a big part of life in Vietnam and it’s brilliant to see our Vietnamese team members – and our suppliers – getting to enjoy it to the full this year.
So, Chúc Mừng Năm Mới to one and all!
