Lunar New Year emphasizes family and cultural tradition

From sweeping bad luck away in houses to watching festive dragon dances, the traditions of Lunar New Year are widely celebrated across Northeast and Southeast Asia as one of their most important holidays.

Based on the lunar calendar, the period starts on the first new moon and ends on the first full moon; this year, the lunar year began Jan. 22.

For many cultures, Lunar New Year goes beyond simply a time of celebration to an opportunity to show appreciation for family and to share blessings of good fortune.

Within families, senior Zoe Cheng Pinto emphasized the importance of respecting elders in Asian cultures. One tradition in the Chinese New Year is receiving red envelopes from older family members and friends, which are given to bestow happiness and blessings for special occasions.

“I save time for my family and having a big meal and part of the tradition of getting money is … sort of like, ‘Thank you for everything that you guys do’ and then in return, you get money,” they said.

Year. My dad is a converted Buddhist although he doesn’t go too hard.”

As another example, the first thing one might think of when talking about the Chinese celebration of the Lunar New Year are the color red, lanterns, and fireworks, all of which are prominent symbols for a reason.

While traditions differ between countries, many focus on family, such as through the honoring of ancestral graves in Vietnam and family meals in Korea and Singapore.

But a major part of Lunar New Year is the festive atmosphere.

Junior Maik Nguyen said, “My family always burns incense to get in the vibe of Lunar New

The Chinese New Year is based on a legend where the dangerous beast Nian was scared off by loud noises, fire, and red, and these methods of protection made their way into decorations featured in the Lantern Festival, which marks the end of the traditional Chinese New Year.

Lunar New Year celebrations often culminate in big performances. Freshman Zimo Xie celebrated Lunar New Year both when she attended a Chinese immersion school and as she performs currently for the Twin Cities Chinese Dance Center.

“At my previous school, because most of the teachers were Chinese and it was an immersion school, everyone would perform for Lunar New Year and they would also have a lion dance,” she said.

Now, she is most involved in traditional Chinese dance performances that happen several times a year. “[The Lunar New Year performance Jan.

20-22] is like a big celebration that we prepare maybe six months for,” Xie said.

As connecting with family and friends is a major part of celebrations, the period often serves as a time to meet others within one’s community. Cheng Pinto described attending a Taiwanese-American con- vention at the University of Minnesota as one of their favorite memories.

For people living in Asian countries and people who are part of Asian diasporas, Lunar New Year holds meaning as an opportunity to honor family, enjoy local festivities and usher in good luck for this year of the Rabbit (or Cat, Vietnam).

CLARA ANN BAGNOLI THE RUBICON

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While many girls played with toy ponies when they were younger, junior Clare Kimmel got the real thing.

For her, the lure of horses wasn’t participating in posh equestrian shows, or exclusive polo games; she appreciated being with the horses, caring for them, and participating in stable work.

“Every once in a while during the summer I