Happy Lunar New Year!

新年快乐！(xīn nián kuài lè) Happy Lunar New Year! Lunar New Year is celebrated by 20% of the world in Asian countries such as Mainland China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Korea, Thailand, and many more. Also known as the Spring Festival, this celebration marks the beginning of the a new year following the Lunar calendar.  It is a time for new beginnings and fresh starts and this year is YEAR OF THE DOG! 🐶We put together some fun facts below! Keep reading for a special surprise at the end🎁

1. Setting off Firecrackers🎆

According to one myth, a monster named Nian (年）would come out on New Year’s Eve to devour crops, livestock and villagers. However, villagers discovered that the monster was afraid of loud firecrackers. From then on, people have used firecrackers to scare off monsters and bad luck. At midnight on Lunar New Year, people stay up to set off firecrackers and again in the morning to welcome the new year and good luck. Although hundreds of cities have set restrictions due to concerns about pollution, people still set them off anyway.

1. Cleaning

Before Lunar New Year begins, families clean the house to sweep away bad luck and make room for the good. On New Year’s Day, you are not allowed to shower and sweeping or throwing out trash is not allowed until the fifth day for fear of washing away good luck from the New Year.

1. Red Envelopes 红包 (hóngbāo)

Elders give these pockets of money to children or unmarried individuals to transfer their fortune and good luck. Depending on the family, children can receive $150 per envelope.

1. Red & Gold

During this celebration, people wear the color red to bring in good luck, joy and happiness. They also put up red decorations to ward off bad spirits and monsters. The color gold or yellow is considered the most beautiful color. The Chinese saying, “Yellow generates Yin and Yang,” suggesting that yellow is the center of everything. It symbolizes neutrality and good luck.

1. Food & Dessert

Customarily, people would eat dumplings everyday, but now most just eat them during the New Year’s Eve dinner or for their first breakfast. The word dumplings jiǎo zi (饺子) sounds like jiāo zi (交子). Jiāo (交) means “exchange” and zi (子) means midnight hours. Together, it means exchange between the old and new. Eating dumplings means you are sending away the old and welcoming the new. Many Chinese desserts have hidden meanings behind them such as fa gao (发糕), which are sponge cake muffins. The “fa” is the same as in fa cai (发财) meaning “get rich”.

1. The Lantern Festival

On the last day of the 15 day celebration, it is the first full moon of the year. The 15 days of celebration are usually reserved for family, but on the last day, everyone goes into the streets to celebrate. Lanterns are hung everywhere, some containing riddles for people to solve. There are dragon dances, lion dances, and stilt performances. People traditionally eat rice balls filled with sweet pastes to symbolize the full moon and to wish good fortune in the New Year. The Lantern Festival symbolizes reunion and is a time of socializing and freedom.

Obviously there is so much more to celebrating Lunar New Year, but these are just a few of many traditions and customs. We wish you good luck and good fortune in the New Year! 新年快乐！

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