What is the Lunar New Year?

Lunar New Year is like New Year’s but with a bit of spice! It’s the beginning of the new year and the lunar calendar. It is also commonly known by the name of Chinese New Year. The holiday is celebrated mostly in Eastern Asia (China, Korea, Vietnam, Japan, Mongolia, etc.) and many other countries around the world also celebrate.

The Year Of The Rabbit

There are different elements for each year. This year is the year of the Water Rabbit. If you were born in 1939, 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011 or 2023, it’s your year! This year should be really lucky for those born as a rabbit! It is said that you will gain teachers/bosses attention and may get involved in something grand. Those that are born as a rabbit are said to be elegant, graceful and kind people. 2023 is being said to be the year of Hope. 

How many days does the Lunar New Year last?

15 DAYS – wow, isn’t that a lot of days, and each day has a purpose! The days are celebrated depending on the moon phase. Lunar Year is also known as the Spring Festival. The celebration starts on January 22nd and ends February 9th.

How should you celebrate the Lunar New Year?

It’s great to spend time with family and friends, and also time to remove the bad and old and welcome in the new and good. Houses are thoroughly cleaned to remove any bad luck that might be lingering about. New Year’s eve and New Year’s is for celebrating with family and religious ceremonies, honoring ancestors. On this day, a common tradition is to gift a friend or family member a bright red envelope, known as a hóngbāo. These envelopes are filled with small amounts of money to symbolize good wishes and luck for the new year ahead. Throughout the days, many parades with dances and fireworks are to be expected, leading up to the Lantern Festival. This festival is celebrated on the last day of the new year. On this night many houses are lit up with lanterns, and many traditional dishes such as yuanxiao (sticky rice balls that symbolize family unity), fagao (prosperity cake), and yusheng (raw fish and vegetable salad) are served. 

Lantern Festival

The Lantern Festival (Yuan Xiao) is a holiday celebrated on the 15th day of the first month (Yuan) of the lunar calendar. This holiday is a celebration to honor deceased ancestors. It aims to promote reconciliation, peace and forgiveness. On this day people also release lanterns into the sky. These lanterns symbolize people letting go of their past selves and getting new ones. The lanterns are commonly colored red to symbolize good fortune.

Happy Lunar New Year!