January 16, 2012 marks a special day for Vietnam. This is the gala farewell party for the Kitchen Gods, a very important tradition for the Vietnamese people. Kitchen Gods are believed to be the guardian spirits of the kitchen. Vietnamese believe that they bless the family members and bring them health, happiness and prosperity. The Kitchen Gods are composed of two male and one female dieties. There are many legends about the Kitchen Gods. But the most popular is this:
 
There was once a man so poor that he left his wife because of shame. The woman remarried while her old husband became a beggar. One day, the old husband came begging for food, not realizing that he was at his old wife’s house. When she opened the door and they recognized each other, he was so ashamed that he jumped into the stove and died. The woman felt sorry for him and jumped into the stove as well. The new husband did the same. Hearing about their faithful love, the Emperor Jade allowed them to live together in the kitchen as Kitchen Gods.
 
The farewell ceremony for the Kitchen Gods has long been associated with Tet, or the Vietnamese Lunar New Year. During this time, the Vietnamese prepare a big party and the best foods as offerings to the deities. As part of the tradition, the party is at noon and the dishes are arranged on a tray and placed on an altar especially set up for the Kitchen Gods. Votive offerings like paper clothing (three pairs of boots, three hats, and three robes), money, and carp placed in a small basin are also part of the ritual. The latter is considered to be a crucial part of the offering since it is the medium wherein the gods supposedly use to travel.
 
After the gods are believed to have left for heaven, the Vietnamese people tidy up their kitchen and start preparing for Tet this time. Though it has become extremely advanced and convenient today compared to the old days, some people still maintain and actually have been used to the simple, difficult ways of the past like storing food and fire. But whether Vietnamese people prefer the traditional or modern way of celebrating the Kitchen Gods and Tet, one thing is always kept constant – the importance of the kitchen as a symbol and medium for unity and love of families brought together by the simple yet meaningful act of eating.