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Tết (Lunar New Year) Gifts for Colleagues: Ideas and Etiquette
Tết, the Vietnamese Lunar New Year, falls on Saturday 6 February 2027 (Year of the Goat). Gifts for colleagues are usually about good wishes for the year ahead: tea, sweets, fruit and nicely boxed treats are classics. These ideas work whether you're in Vietnam or giving to Vietnamese colleagues abroad. In Vietnam itself, local shops and markets have the widest Tết gift boxes; the links below are for readers shopping on Amazon.
How we chose
- Carries good wishes: health, luck and prosperity, often in red and gold packaging.
- Easy to share with family, since Tết is a family holiday.
- Suits the relationship: modest for peers, more formal for a manager or client.
- Arrives on time: gifts are usually given in the days before Tết.
How these picks were put together: this guide was researched and written by our small team with help from AI tools. We pick by product type and by brands with a long track record. We did not hands-on test these products, and we never post invented reviews or star ratings. Read recent customer reviews on the product page before you buy.
The picks
Vietnamese tea gift box
Tea is a classic Tết gift. Vietnamese lotus tea and Thái Nguyên green tea are well-loved.
Buying tip: Check the origin and best-before date on the listing.
Vietnamese coffee with a phin filter
Vietnamese coffee (for example Trung Nguyên) with a traditional phin drip filter is a gift with a story.
Buying tip: Check whether it's ground coffee or instant, and whether the filter is included.
Lunar New Year snack or candied fruit box
Candied fruit and nuts (mứt Tết) are part of the Tết table. A sweets tray is easy to share.
Buying tip: Check allergens and shipping time. Order early.
Premium chopsticks gift set
Practical and nicely presented.
Buying tip: Choose sets in a gift box. Wooden or alloy chopsticks feel more special than bamboo.
2027 Year of the Goat decoration
A small decoration for the desk or home marks the new year.
Buying tip: Check the year on the listing. Many sellers reuse last year's animal.
Red envelopes (lì xì / hongbao)
Useful if your colleague has children, or if you manage a team.
Buying tip: Lì xì is traditionally given by elders to younger family members, or by managers to employees. If you want new notes, change money only at a bank: Vietnam's State Bank warns that paid note-exchange services, especially on social media, are illegal. (sources: VNAT; Người Lao Động)
Lunar calendar or 2027 desk calendar
Calendars are a long-standing Tết gift for offices.
Buying tip: A calendar that shows both solar and lunar dates is especially handy.
Fruit gift box (buy locally if you can)
Fruit symbolises abundance. In Vietnam, buy fresh fruit or a fruit basket locally rather than online.
Buying tip: Five-fruit trays (mâm ngũ quả) differ by region, so ask a local shop.
Quality notebook or planner for 2027
A useful 'fresh start' gift for the new year.
Buying tip: Choose classic red or gold covers for a Tết touch.
Buying tips
- Give in the days before Tết, when offices exchange greetings. Colleagues may travel home early.
- Red and gold wrapping is festive and stands for luck. Vietnam's tourism authority advises against giving anything black, and many families prefer to avoid mostly black or white wrapping, which some link with funerals. (sources: VNAT etiquette; Lao Động, Jan 2017)
- Many families prefer not to receive knives, scissors or other sharp objects at Tết, since some see them as a wish to cut off the relationship. (source: Lao Động, Jan 2017)
- Add a short card with a New Year wish, for example Chúc mừng năm mới (Happy New Year) or An khang thịnh vượng (wishing you wellness and prosperity). (sources: VNAT; Vietcetera)
- If your company has a gift policy (especially with clients), follow it.
- Prices and shipping times change, especially near Tết. Check before ordering.
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