Incense for Vietnamese Lunar New Year

This year the lunar new year falls at the end of January.

Known around the world as Chinese New Year, in Vietnam it's called Tet Nguyen Dan or Tet for short.

It's considered to be the first day of spring. It's the most important Vietnamese national holiday.

For this family business of incense stick makers, in a small village outside Hanoi, it's their busiest time of year. Incense plays an important role in Vietnamese culture.

It's believed that when you burn an incense stick your prayers are passed to the deities and to the spirits of the ancestors.

According to tradition, incense must also be burnt in odd numbers: 3, 5, 7 or 9 sticks. Each number has its own special meaning.

So, it looks like this family of incense makers will be in business for generations to come.

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