Locals Rush to Bring Spring Home

(DTO) On the evening of February 13 (the 26th day of the last lunar month), the Spring Flower Market in My Tra Ward (Dong Thap) saw a bustling atmosphere as crowds of visitors and shoppers gathered.

Amid the sound of honking motorbikes and cheerful exchanges between buyers and sellers were lines of motorbikes and trucks “carrying” spring colors home.

Along the streets surrounding the Dong Thap Provincial Sports Complex, where the My Tra Ward Spring Flower Market is located, rows of garden mums, marigolds, yellow apricot blossoms, and five-colored bougainvillea trees brighten the entire area with vibrant hues.

As the late-afternoon sunlight fades during the days leading up to the Lunar New Year, the atmosphere at the flower market begins to heat up. Streams of people make their way to the stalls to browse, select, and buy ornamental plants. Though it is only the 26th day of the twelfth lunar month, many families have already chosen to purchase their flowers instead of waiting until the final days of the year.

While she was busy choosing pots of marigolds, Ms. Tran Thi Nga from My Thuong Hamlet, My Tra Ward, shared: “To buy flowers for the Lunar New Year, you have to buy early as there’s more variety, it’s easier to choose, and the flowers look fresher. Bringing flowers home early also makes the house feel more cheerful and warm in the days leading up to the holiday, and it helps support vendors and growers. That’s why my family always buys flowers early. This year, the Spring Flower Market offers such a wide range of flowers and ornamental plants with diverse colors at affordable prices. We’ve already bought a few pairs of marigolds to display during the Lunar New Year.”

Ms. Ngo Nguyen Yen Phuong from Hoa Lac Hamlet, Cao Lanh Ward, also shared: “My family has a habit of buying Lunar New Year flowers early. I usually choose a pair of garden mums to place in front of the house, hoping they will bring good luck and prosperity in the new year. That’s why each year I love going to the flower market and choosing the flowers myself.”

For Mr. Nguyen Thanh Phong from Hoa Dinh 2 Hamlet in Phong Hoa Commune, yellow apricot blossoms are his favorite, so he visits the Spring Flower Market every year to have a look and make a purchase. He said: “This year, I bought a pot of yellow apricot blossoms to display during the Lunar New Year. Among all the ornamental plants, yellow apricot blossoms are my favorite, because I hope they’ll bring my family luck and prosperity in the coming year.”

Alongside the bustling scenes of buyers and sellers choosing flowers, vendors and growers can be seen meticulously tying and securing bright yellow and orange flower pots onto motorbikes and trucks so customers can easily take them home.

Besides the ornamental plant stalls, watermelon stalls for Lunar New Year displays are also getting busy. Many families take the chance to select the most beautiful, eye-catching melons to decorate their homes and welcome a prosperous new spring.

Trip after trip, people carry home pots of ornamental plants and watermelons, as if bringing the vibrant spirit of spring along with their hopes for a new year of peace, good fortune, and fulfillment.

 By MY XUYEN
Translated by ANH DUC