The Lunar New Year celebrates the beginning of spring and the upcoming year. The dates of the holiday change depending on the phases of the moon but this year it begins on January 29th and goes until February 12th. Each year is associated with a different animal in the Chinese zodiac, this year being the Year of the Snake.
“It’s the largest and most significant holiday in China and most of Southeast Asia. China is really populated, so nowadays there are 350 million people traveling for New Year’s. It’s the largest annual human migration,” Chinese teacher Shianguu Hsieh said.
There are Lunar New Year traditions for all ages. It is a time when family can connect and enjoy their time together.
“I get together with my family. We have New Year’s meals together and stay up all night. When I was a kid, I looked forward to the presents, which came in red envelopes that had money in them. We also liked to play with firecrackers,” Hsieh said.
Dishes ranging from big savory meals to desserts are prepared this time of year. Some dishes represent good luck, while some represent prosperity and wealth.
“My family and I make dishes that correlate to Chinese New Year. I enjoy Peking duck, it’s a popular dish around the New Year. We also do something special if the year correlates with one of my family members’ Chinese zodiac animals,” junior Adrian Fong said.
Festive events happen across America this time of year. However, there are not many large celebrations.
“Celebrations are highly muted in the US. In Asia, they have huge parades with big dragons and floats. Celebrations are typically much bigger there,” Fong said.
The Nelson Atkins Museum of Art hosted a free Lunar New Year festival on January 26th. It featured live performances, traditional Chinese folk dancing, arts and crafts, Asian cuisine, and educational opportunities.
“When my kids were young, I took them to the Nelson Atkins for the Lunar New Year festival. My favorite parts of it were the Chinese yoyo performance and the calligraphy demonstration. Nelson Atkins is very proud of their Chinese collections, and they have one of the top 10 in the world,” Hsieh said.