What is the date of Lantern Festival in 2025? Is Lantern Festival a public holiday where employees in Vietnam receive paid leave?
What is the date of Lantern Festival in 2025?
In Vietnam, Lantern Festival is on the full moon of the first lunar month, a time when people go to the temple to pray for fortune and make good wishes. In areas with large Chinese communities like Cho Lon and Hoi An, Lantern Festival features many festivals and special activities.
Lantern Festival is the 15th day of the 1st lunar month, an important festival in Vietnamese culture and several other Asian countries such as China, Taiwan, and Singapore. Also known as the Lantern Festival, this celebration originates from China and lasts from the 14th to the 15th day of the first lunar month.
Lantern Festival is associated with temple visits, praying for peace, offering stars to ward off bad luck, and wishing for peace, health, and luck throughout the year.
The term "Lantern Festival" (Nguyen Tieu) signifies the first full moon night of the new year, where "Nguyen" means first, and "Tieu" means night. It is also referred to as "Lunar New Year Thuong Nguyen" to differentiate it from "Lunar New Year Trung Nguyen" (the 7th lunar month's full moon) and "Lunar New Year Ha Nguyen" (the 10th lunar month's full moon).
Lantern Festival is a significant festival for Buddhists annually, hence the saying "Praying all year is not as good as praying on the full moon of the first month" or "Worshipping Buddha all year is not as good as worshipping on the full moon of the first month."
In addition to its spiritual and religious significance, Lantern Festival is an occasion for people to focus on family, ancestors, and wishes for the best in the new year.
According to the perpetual calendar, Lantern Festival 2025 falls on the 15th day of the 1st lunar month, corresponding to February 12, 2025, on the Gregorian calendar.
What is the date of Lantern Festival in 2025? Is Lantern Festival a public holiday where employees in Vietnam receive paid leave? (Image from the Internet)
Is Lantern Festival a public holiday where employees in Vietnam receive paid leave?
Based on Article 112 of the Labor Code 2019 on holidays:
Article 112. Public holidays
- Employees are entitled to fully paid days off for the following holidays:
a) New Year's Day: 1 day (January 1 by the solar calendar);
b) Lunar New Year: 5 days;
c) Victory Day: 1 day (April 30 by the solar calendar);
d) International Labor Day: 1 day (May 1 by the solar calendar);
dd) National Day: 2 days (September 2 by the solar calendar and 1 adjoining day);
e) Hung Kings' Commemoration Day: 1 day (10th of the 3rd lunar month).
- Foreign employees working in Vietnam, in addition to the days off specified in Clause 1 of this Article, are also entitled to one traditional Lunar New Year holiday and one National Day of their countries.
- Annually, based on actual conditions, the Prime Minister of the Government of Vietnam decides the specific days off specified in point b and point đ of Clause 1 of this Article.
According to the above regulations, employees are entitled to days off with pay on the following occasions:
- New Year's Day
- Lunar New Year
- Victory Day
- International Labor Day
- National Day
- Hung Kings' Commemoration Day
Moreover, foreign workers in Vietnam are granted an additional traditional Lunar New Year holiday and one National Day of their home country.
Therefore, employees are not entitled to a paid day off for Lantern Festival.
When are employees in Vietnam entitled to personal leave with pay?
Based on Article 115 of the Labor Code 2019 regarding personal leave and unpaid leave:
Article 115. Personal leave, unpaid leave
- Employees are entitled to personal leave with full pay and must notify their employers in the following cases:
a) Marriage: 3 days off;
b) Biological or adopted child's marriage: 1 day off;
c) Birth, adopters, parents of spouse, spouse, biological or adopted child deceased: 3 days off.
- Employees are entitled to one unpaid day off and must inform their employers when their grandparents, brothers, or sisters pass away; parents remarry; siblings marry.
- In addition to the provisions in Clauses 1 and 2 of this Article, employees may negotiate with employers for unpaid leave.
According to the above regulations, employees are entitled to personal leave with full pay on the following occasions:
- Marriage: 3 days
- Biological or adopted child's marriage: 1 day
- Birth, adopters, parents of spouse, spouse, biological or adopted child deceased: 3 days
Note: Employees must report the reason for personal leave to the employer for approval.
Employers who do not grant personal leave may be fined.
