Prayer for December 1st, many families prepare offerings to worship deities and ancestors, and pray for peace and good fortune in the last month of the lunar year. Besides carefully preparing the offerings, they also choose. Choosing the right prayers, incense offerings, and ceremonial texts according to traditional customs also helps ensure the ritual is solemn and complete. In the article below, you will find examples.Standard prayer text and important notes for offering sacrifices on the 1st day of the 12th lunar month of the Year of the Horse 2026.
Prayer to the Earth God and other deities on the 1st day of the 12th lunar month of the Year of the Horse 2026
According to traditional customs, after preparing offerings and lighting incense, the homeowner can recite prayers to the Earth God and other deities on the 1st day of the 12th lunar month to respectfully inform the gods who govern the land, and to pray for peace in the family, smooth work, and good fortune in the new month.
Namo Amitabha Buddha! (3 times, accompanied by 3 prostrations)
I respectfully bow to the nine directions of Heaven, the ten directions of the Buddhas, and all the Buddhas of the ten directions.
I respectfully bow before Heaven, Earth, and all the revered deities.
I respectfully bow before the Lord of the Kitchen, the God of the Hearth.
I respectfully bow before the local Earth God and Dragon Vein deity.
I respectfully bow before the Five Directions, the Five Lands, and the Venerable Deities of Fortune and Virtue.
I respectfully bow before the deities of the past, present, and future, the Landlord, and the God of Wealth.
I respectfully bow before the revered deities who govern this area.
We, your humble devotees, are: …………………………………………………
Residing at: ……………………………………………………………………
Today is the 1st day of the 12th month of the year Bính Ngọ 2026 (Lunar Calendar). We, your devout followers, sincerely prepare incense, flowers, offerings, tea, and fruits, and light incense sticks to present before the altar.
We respectfully invite the Venerable Deity of the Current Year’s Ruling Tai Sui, the Great Kings of the Local City God, the Venerable Deity of the Dragon Vein, the Deities of the Five Directions and Five Lands, the Household Earth God, the Kitchen God, the God of Fortune and Virtue, and all other Venerable Deities governing this area to descend before this altar.
We humbly ask you to witness our sincerity, accept our offerings, and bless our entire family with peace, good health, success in our work, increasing wealth, good fortune in all things, fulfillment of our wishes, and the realization of all our desires.
With humble hearts and sincere devotion, we beg for your protection and blessings.
Namo Amitabha Buddha! (3 times, accompanied by 3 prostrations)

Prayer to the Ancestors on the 1st day of the 12th lunar month of the Year of the Horse (2026)
After completing the ritual of offering sacrifices to the deities, the homeowner proceeds to offer incense and recite prayers. Prayer to ancestors on the 1st of December to commemorate grandparents and ancestors, and to pray for family peace, healthy children and grandchildren, and smooth sailing in all endeavors during the last month of the lunar year.
Namo Amitabha Buddha! (3 times accompanied by 3 prostrations).
I respectfully bow to the nine directions of heaven, the ten directions of all Buddhas, and all the Buddhas of the ten directions.
I respectfully bow before the Heavenly Emperor, the Earth Goddess, and all the revered deities.
I respectfully bow before the local tutelary deity, the local earth deity, the household kitchen god, and all other revered deities.
I respectfully bow before my ancestors, my deceased father and mother, and all departed spirits (if my parents are still alive, replace with Ancestor Father and Ancestor Mother).
We, the homeowners, are … and currently reside at …
Today is the 1st day of the 12th month of the year Bính Ngọ 2026 (Lunar Calendar). We, your humble servants, with the grace of Heaven and Earth, our ancestors, and all the Venerable Deities, sincerely prepare offerings of incense, fruits, flowers, and tea to light incense before the altar. We respectfully invite: the Local Guardian Deity, the Great Kings, the Household Kitchen God, the Local Spirits, the Earth God, the Wealth God, the Five Directions God, and the Dragon Vein God.
We humbly request that you descend before the altar, witness our sincerity, and accept our offerings. We respectfully invite our ancestors, both paternal and maternal, and all the spirits of our family lineage to have mercy on their descendants, to manifest themselves, witness our sincerity, and accept our offerings.
We respectfully invite the former and current owners of this house to come before the altar, to receive the offerings, and to bless and protect us so that we may always be safe, everything goes as we wish, all things good, and our family harmonious. We offer this humble gift with sincere hearts, bowing before the altar, and humbly ask for your blessings and protection.
Namo Amitabha Buddha! (3 times accompanied by 3 prostrations).

Prayer to the God of Wealth and the Earth God on the 1st day of the 12th lunar month of the Year of the Horse 2026
For families, shops, or businesses with a separate altar dedicated to the God of Wealth and the Earth God, the owner can perform a prayer to the God of Wealth and the Earth God on the 1st day of the 12th lunar month to pray for wealth, prosperous business, and smooth work in the new month. When reciting the prayer, one should maintain a respectful attitude, dress appropriately, and perform the ritual solemnly.
Namo Amitabha Buddha! (3 times)
I bow down to the nine directions of Heaven, the ten directions of Buddha, and all the Buddhas of the ten directions.
We respectfully bow before Heaven, Earth, and all revered deities.
I respectfully bow before the Kitchen God, the Lord of the Hearth.
I respectfully bow before the God of Wealth.
I respectfully bow before the deities and spirits who govern this land.
Your humble devotee is… residing at…
Today is December 1st, 2026 (Lunar Calendar) – Year of the Horse
Devoted devotees sincerely prepare incense, flowers, offerings, gold and silver, tea, fruits, and other items to present before the altar, respectfully inviting the God of Wealth to take his place.
We humbly beseech the God of Wealth to have mercy on us, your devotees, to descend before this altar, witness our sincerity, accept our offerings, and bless us with peace, health, and prosperity in all things, a flourishing and prosperous family life, increasing wealth and fortune, spiritual enlightenment, and the fulfillment of all our requests and desires.
With humble hearts and sincere devotion, we bow before the altar and humbly pray for your protection and blessings.
Namo Amitabha Buddha! (3 times)

The significance of the December 1st lunar month offering ceremony in Vietnamese culture.
The ceremony on the 1st day of the 12th lunar month, also known as the 1st day of the twelfth lunar month, holds significant meaning in the spiritual life of the Vietnamese people.
- Summarizing the past year and expressing gratitude: This is an occasion for the family to sincerely thank the deities, the earth spirits, and the god of wealth for protecting and blessing the family throughout the past months. At the same time, the family also prays for a smooth end to the year and a peaceful, lucky, and prosperous new year.
- Inviting grandparents and ancestors to reunite and celebrate Tet (Lunar New Year): The December ancestral worship ceremony is also seen as a respectful invitation to the ancestors, hoping that they will return to reunite with their descendants and prepare to celebrate the traditional Lunar New Year.
- Beginning the series of year-end rituals: The offering on the 1st day of the 12th lunar month marks the beginning of important rituals in the twelfth lunar month, such as the offering to the Kitchen God on the 23rd day of the twelfth lunar month, the year-end offering, and the New Year’s Eve offering.
- Showing respect and preserving tradition: Despite the busy end-of-year schedule, many families still maintain the tradition of offering sacrifices on the first day of the twelfth lunar month to express filial piety to their ancestors, reverence for the gods, and to preserve the good customs of the nation.

Should we prepare a savory offering on the first day of the twelfth lunar month?
On the first day of the twelfth lunar month, offerings can be vegetarian or non-vegetarian, depending on the customs of each family and their available resources. In folk beliefs, a vegetarian offering with incense, fresh flowers, fruit, clean water, tea, and sticky rice or cakes is still considered solemn and expresses reverence.
If preparing a savory offering, the homeowner only needs to arrange it neatly and cleanly, avoiding ostentation or waste. The most important aspect of the first day of the lunar month offering ceremony is sincerity in offering the gifts and reciting the prayer, not the monetary value of the feast.

Is it better to offer prayers on the 1st day of the 12th lunar month in the morning or the afternoon?
According to traditional beliefs, the appropriate time to offer prayers on the first day of the lunar month is in the morning, especially from early morning until before noon. This is considered the beginning of a new month, signifying a prayer for peace, good fortune, and success.
In case of a busy schedule, the homeowner can still perform the ritual in the afternoon or evening of the first day of the lunar month. The important thing is to perform the ceremony on the day itself, prepare the offerings carefully, and keep the worship space clean and solemn.

What should be done after the offering ceremony on the 1st day of the 12th lunar month?
After the ceremony is complete, the homeowner should wait until the incense has burned down to about two-thirds or a week before removing the offerings. The offerings, once removed, can then be shared among family members to pray for good fortune and receive blessings at the beginning of the month.
Additionally, the water should be changed regularly, the altar tidied up, and the flowers and fruits kept fresh. If there are votive offerings, they should only be burned according to family tradition, and there’s no need to burn too much to avoid waste.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it acceptable to only light incense on the 1st day of the 12th lunar month, without a full offering tray?
Yes. If circumstances don’t allow for a full offering, the host only needs to offer incense, fresh flowers, clean water or fruit, and recite the prayer for the 1st day of the 12th lunar month with sincerity. In religious beliefs, sincerity is always considered more important than elaborate offerings.
Is it permissible to combine ancestral worship and worship of the God of Wealth on the first day of the twelfth lunar month?
Yes. If your family has both an ancestral altar and a God of Wealth altar, you can still perform the rituals in the same ceremony. However, it’s advisable to worship at the ancestral altar first, then at the God of Wealth and Earth God altar, to align with the worship customs of many Vietnamese families.
Offering prayers on the first day of the lunar month.month 12 Lunar calendarHow long after the ceremony can the offerings be taken down?
Typically, the homeowner waits until the incense has burned about two-thirds or a week’s worth before removing the offerings. Afterwards, the offerings can be shared among family members to share the blessings and pray for peace and good fortune in the new month.
Summary
Prayer for December 1st village – This ceremony expresses reverence for the deities and ancestors, while also conveying wishes for peace and good fortune in the last month of the lunar year. Careful preparation of offerings, adherence to traditional customs, and sincere recitation of prayers will ensure a solemn and complete ceremony. Don’t forget to check out more articles on prayers and worship customs to perform the ceremony correctly according to tradition.
See more:
- How to boil chicken for offerings perfectly, without the skin cracking, and how to tie the chicken attractively.
- How to decorate a beautiful and solemn altar for Tet (Lunar New Year). What should you keep in mind when arranging the altar for Tet?
- 30+ beautiful and meaningful traditional Tet decoration ideas

