Market slows down ahead of Kitchen Gods’ worship ritual

According to Vietnamese tradition, the Kitchen Gods ascend to Heaven on the 23rd day of the 12th lunar month to report the family’s affairs to the Jade Emperor over the past year and to prepare to usher in the Lunar New Year. Many Vietnamese families follow this custom with ceremonial offerings. Typically, the market for such offerings is bustling early, with customers flocking to make purchases.

However, this year has seen Hanoi’s Hang Ma street, which is usually adorned with vibrant decorations for the Lunar New Year holiday, left rather quiet. Only a handful of shops are selling ritual items like paper offerings and ceremonial outfits for the Kitchen Gods. Local vendors say that residents now prefer simpler options, such as a single set of ceremonial clothes, reducing demand for traditional paper offerings.

In addition, consumer spending has also declined compared to previous years.

“Normally, people start shopping for offerings early, but this year it’s unusually quiet even as the day approaches. Many are likely cutting back on expenses, buying simpler items from wet markets, or choosing alternatives like temple visits and releasing fish as acts of merit,” one vendor noted.

Some vendors report that sales are at half of last year’s levels, with long stretches of time passing without a single customer. This trend is mirrored across shops that sell ceremonial paper items.

The ceremonial outfits for the Kitchen Gods remain reasonably priced this year and come in newly designed, attractive styles. A basic set, including three hats, three outfits, and three paper carp fish with decorative features, costs less than VND100,000. In addition, high-quality, intricately designed sets range from VND200,000 to VND250,000.

“It was quiet earlier this month, and I thought it was just too early. But now it’s the 19th day of the lunar month, and business is still slow. Fortunately, by anticipating weaker demand this year due to the economic situation, I reduced my inventory to two-thirds of last year’s volume to avoid losses,” shared Nguyen Bao, a vendor based at Yen Phu wet market in Tay Ho district in the capital.

Live carp fish, symbolic of the Kitchen Gods’ journey to Heaven, is another traditional item for this ritual, although at present they are only sporadically available at fish shops and supermarkets. Many vendors plan to stock live fish closer to the 23rd day of the lunar month to ensure freshness.

“People often purchase live carp just before the ritual day. If we stock too early, it’s difficult to maintain the fish in good condition, especially when demand hasn’t yet picked up,” explained a shopkeeper at Vinh Tuy market.

At ornamental fish markets situated on Yen Phu street, the price for live carp remains stable at VND20,000 to VND30,000 per pair. Wholesale prices range from VND50,000–90,000 per kilogram. In supermarkets, individual red carp sells for VND11,000 each.

Along with ceremonial items, some households prepare savory offerings for the Kitchen Gods. Despite this, even at popular local markets like Hang Be and Thanh Ha in Hoan Kiem district, there hasn’t been a significant increase in activity. Vendors have reported that this year more people are preparing dishes themselves to save money.

As the Kitchen Gods’ worship day that falls on January 22 this year is drawing near, the subdued market reflects broader economic challenges, with many households opting for a simpler, more budget-friendly ritual to honour this cherished tradition.