As families gather to celebrate, Lunar New Year marks one of the most significant holidays for millions of people around the world. Known for its rich traditions, colourful festivals, and the promise of a fresh start, this holiday brings together diverse cultures and communities. Whether it’s through delicious food, exciting dragon dances, or the exchange of red envelopes, Lunar New Year offers a chance to reflect on the past year and step into the new one with hope and optimism. In this blog, we’ll explore the customs, symbolism, and unique ways this holiday is celebrated globally and how it’s more than just a time to say goodbye to the old, but a joyous occasion to welcome the new.
During chapel this week, we recognized and acknowledged the Lunar New Year for a variety of groups, with students across all divisions lifting the spirit of this celebration by speaking on its significance, symbols, traditions, and foods. The service included a reflection on themes such as renewal, unity, and prosperity - values that resonate deeply with the holiday's spirit. We discussed how different cultures celebrate the occasion, emphasizing the rich diversity within our chapel family. Through shared stories and moments of gratitude, the presentation taught our community about the Lunar New Year's importance for many communities. It served as a way to embrace different cultures, even if it's not your own, and helped bring students from different grades together, highlighting how the holiday not only marks a fresh start but serves as a reminder of the importance of coming together in celebration, support, and mutual respect.
In addition, with Lunar New Year falling on Wednesday, we celebrated with a special dress-down day where everyone was encouraged to wear red and gold, colours that symbolize good fortune and happiness in many cultures. The vibrant display of these colours served as a visual reminder of the joy and positivity this holiday brings, creating a festive atmosphere that brought us all closer together. As we embraced the traditions and customs of Lunar New Year, we were reminded of the power of cultural diversity in enriching our community and fostering a deeper sense of connection and understanding.
Lunar New Year is a joyful holiday that is celebrated by many East Asians, including the Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean, and more. It is a very large celebrated holiday, which brings not only families together, but different communities across the globe as well as we all enjoy the fun events and traditions of Lunar New Year. Every year, starting from the first day of the new year on the lunar calendar, festive celebrations continue for two weeks. This year, the celebration runs from January 29 to February 16. Regionally, the celebrations differ, however, the themes of honouring ancestors, gathering with family, and wishing for a prosperous new year are common elements that the celebrations share.
During this time, many families invite friends and other family members for a reunion dinner, filled with foods such as dumplings, rice cake, fish, and more. All of these foods symbolize different wishes for the new year. For example, dumplings are very popular because they are shaped like traditional gold or silver ingots in Chinese culture, therefore symbolizing wealth. Other traditions include setting up fireworks to scare off evil spirits, cleaning the house to start the new year fresh, decorating the house with red, which symbolizes luck in Asian culture, and of course, exchanging red pockets filled with money to share luck.
While there are many delicious foods and fun celebrations during this festival, Lunar New Year is most importantly a time to gather and share. It is a time to talk about goals in the new year, reflect on the previous one, and enjoy time together, especially in a busy world like today. At its core, Lunar New Year is a chance to connect with friends and family, while enjoying wishful treats, and meaningful celebrations. We wish everyone a happy Lunar New Year!
Check out our Lunar New Year festivities!
Written by JoJo N., Ellina L. and Athena L., Grade 10