Did you know that there are multiple editions of New Years? All around the world, people celebrate New Years differently.
Chinese cultures celebrate an important holiday called Lunar New Year. It’s a two week celebration with friends and family. Entailing feasts, fireworks, parties, and parades. Lunar New Year begins on January 21th and February 20th every year. Also known as Chinese New Year and Spring Festival, this tradition comes from the Lunar calendars that follow under the lunar phase. Lunar New Year is the most popular holiday in China and Chinese communities around the world. This year or the year of 2025 marks the Year of the Snake. Symbolizing wisdom, transformation, and resilience.
Before the new year begins, there are a multitude of traditions that are followed. For example, using red to decorate the community. Fresh red paint on doors, red decorations, and red lanterns are set out on display. Red is the color of joy and good fortune in Chinese culture. Chinese homes are very clean. Cleansing signifies purifying the household of the previous year’s bad luck. After setting out decorations and cleaning the houses, reunion dinners take place with families gathering together to celebrate the new year coming.
During the two celebrations, a variety of events and traditions take place. Such things as parties and fireworks. During the party, there will be a famous lion dance performance. Familiar to western audiences, it’s tradition to dance at the parties. Younger family members usually receive red envelopes full of money. Traditionally, these envelopes are given to unmarried adults and children. The third day of Lunar New Year is reserved for honoring the deceased. No parties take place on this day because it is seen as bad luck to party while honoring the dead. The seventh day is to celebrate humanity’s connection to all living things. The ninth day of the first lunar month is the birthday of the Jade Emperor. The Emperor of Heaven in Taoist belief. Finally, the Lantern Festival marks the end of the Lunar New year. It celebrates the first full moon after the Lunar New Year.
Lunar New Year is a beautiful holiday and will always be said as the most important one of the year.
