Giving Tết Gifts to Partners: When to Give, How to Hand Them Over, and How to Write the Greeting

The first day of Tết Đinh Mùi falls on Saturday, 6 February 2027; the Kitchen Gods' Day (23rd of the twelfth lunar month) is Saturday, 30 January 2027 (according to Thư Viện Pháp Luật (opens in a new tab)). According to the holiday schedule announced by the Ministry of Home Affairs, as published by CafeF on 10 October 2026 (opens in a new tab), officials and civil servants have leave from 4 February to the end of 10 February 2027; businesses choose their own schedule, starting as early as 3 February 2027.

VnExpress (opens in a new tab) advises against giving too early or right before Tết; the middle of the twelfth lunar month is generally regarded as suitable. Đại Đoàn Kết newspaper (opens in a new tab) also suggests that practical gifts be given a few days before Tết. Counting back from the 23rd of the twelfth lunar month, the middle of the month this year falls around 22 January 2027.

It depends on how close the relationship is and how far away the partner is. Many companies combine both: handing gifts over in person to key partners and sending the rest by delivery.

1. 1Step 1: Call one to two days ahead and make clear you are only dropping off a gift and will not take much of their time.
2. 2Step 2: The person handing it over should be of equal or higher rank than the recipient. A gift for a partner's director should be handed over by a senior executive on your side.
3. 3Step 3: Bring the gift in a carrier bag with the card already placed inside. Uyên Nguyên's red gift box comes with a carrier bag.
4. 4Step 4: Hand it over with both hands, say thank you and give a short greeting. Do not discuss contracts while handing over the gift.
5. 5Step 5: After the meeting, send a message thanking the partner for their time.

The taboos below are folk beliefs compiled by the press. How strictly they are observed varies by region and by person. Be more careful with older partners or partners of Chinese descent.

• Short: two to three sentences, readable in a few seconds.
• Correct names and forms of address: "Quý công ty" (your company), "Quý đối tác" (our valued partner) or "Anh/Chị" (Mr./Ms.) if you know each other well.
• Include a specific word of thanks for the cooperation over the year, and do not mention outstanding payments or contracts.
• Sign with the company name; for key partners, a senior executive adds a handwritten signature.

The eight samples below were written by Yến Sào Uyên Nguyên for use on cards, letters or messages. Replace [Company name] with the name of your company:

1. 1Step 1: We wish our valued partners health and prosperity in the Year of the Goat 2027 (Đinh Mùi). Thank you for working alongside [Company name] over the past year.
2. 2Step 2: Spring of Đinh Mùi has arrived. [Company name] sincerely thanks you and wishes your company a New Year in which everything goes smoothly.
3. 3Step 3: Thank you for trusting [Company name] throughout 2026. We wish you and your family a peaceful New Year and a warm reunion.
4. 4Step 4: In the New Year, we wish your company smooth sailing and a cooperation between our two companies that grows ever stronger.
5. 5Step 5: Welcoming Spring of Đinh Mùi, we wish you and your family a happy year in which all your plans come true.
6. 6Step 6: As a token of our gratitude, [Company name] sends this small Tết gift. We wish our valued partner a smooth start to the New Year.
7. 7Step 7: We got a great deal done together this year. We wish your company a steady and successful 2027.
8. 8Step 8: Happy New Year of Đinh Mùi. We wish our valued partner good health and a business year that turns out just as you hope.

Corporate orders of 10 gift sets or more receive cards free of charge from Yến Sào Uyên Nguyên, printed with your company name, logo and a greeting of your choice, for example one of the eight samples above. The red gift box included keeps the Yến Sào Uyên Nguyên branding. If your company wants its logo printed on the box, this is quoted separately: from about 50–100 boxes it is printed directly on the lid, and for smaller orders a sticker or paper band with the logo is used.

When sending to many partners at once, the most common mistakes are the wrong recipient, the wrong card, or a gift arriving after the office has closed. The checklist below helps avoid them:

1. 1Step 1: Call to confirm the address, the recipient and the last day the partner's office is working before Tết.
2. 2Step 2: Name one person who can sign for the gift (receptionist, secretary) at each address.
3. 3Step 3: Match each card against the recipient's name before sealing the gift bag.
4. 4Step 4: Deliver in waves: distant provinces first, inner-city Ho Chi Minh City afterwards.
5. 5Step 5: Ask about the provincial delivery fee in advance. Delivery within inner-city Ho Chi Minh City is free; Yến Sào Uyên Nguyên quotes the provincial delivery fee per order before confirmation.
6. 6Step 6: Agree on the payment method: bank transfer or COD; the deposit and the collection of COD for deliveries to several addresses are agreed order by order.
7. 7Step 7: Message the partner before the gift arrives, with the name of the person delivering if available.
8. 8Step 8: Track the list: mark each address that has received its gift and note the name of the person who signed.
9. 9Step 9: If an address cannot be delivered to: call again immediately and arrange a new delivery date before the holiday break.
10. 10Step 10: After delivery is complete: send a Tết greeting, and keep the invoice and payment documents.

A delivery list template and a quote request template are in the 2027 corporate Tết gift ordering checklist.

For key partners, a 100g box of refined, reshaped bird's nest or feather-removed bird's nest usually looks more dignified than a small box. Gift levels for each group of recipients are compared in the article choosing Tết gifts for partners, clients and employees; the types of bird's nest and box weights suited to each recipient are in the article choosing bird's nest as a gift. See the price levels on the pages Tết gifts by budget and Corporate Tết Gifts 2027. Prices on the website include VAT; business pricing applies from 10 gift sets, and you can call the hotline or Zalo 0901 312 279 for a quote.