Upcoming Tết holiday! Tết holiday is coming. "Tết" is the way Vietnamese call the lunar new year. It is time for family, special friends (sounds like Christmas in some countries). We make "chưng" and "dày" cakes and put them on the family altar on the new year eve. "Chưng" cakes have square shape, which is represent for earth. "Dày" cakes have round shape, which is represent for sky. Our ancient thought that earth is square and sky is round. There is a beautiful story about the born (sự ra đời) of these cakes. You can read it on http://stlukescatholic.com/the-story-of-bnh-chung-and-bnh-dy. Chưng cake is very tasty, and making them is also a wonderful memory. All members of the family take part in making them. Children clean the leaves which will be used to wrap cakes. Grandmother, mother and other women clean rice, pea, and prepare meat. Grandfather, father and other men make them in shape. After that, they make a big fire with wood. Many people stay around this fire through night. Children listen to other old members in family told stories. Nowadays, not many young people know how to make chưng cakes. I have never do all step by myself. I will try it one day, so my children can have opportunity to have the same wonderful memories I had.