Happy Lunar New Year!

What is Lunar New Year?

Lunar New Year, also called Chinese New Year or Spring Festival, is an annual 15-day festival celebrated in China and other Asian countries including Vietnam, Malaysia, Philippines, South Korea, Singapore, Thailand, Japan, and Indonesia. It is one of the longest and most well-known of all Asian festivals, celebrated by millions of people all over the world.

Each Lunar New Year corresponds to one of 12 animals in the Chinese zodiac, and 2024 is the Year of the Dragon.

When is Lunar New Year?

This year, Lunar New Year begins on Saturday, February 10 and ends on Saturday, February 24.

The exact dates change every year because they are based on the cycle of the moon. The first day of Lunar New Year takes place in late January/ early February on the same day as the second (or occasionally, third) new moon after the winter solstice. The last day of Lunar New year aligns with the full moon that follows.

How is Lunar New Year celebrated?

Similar to New Year’s Eve in the Gregorian calendar, celebrations begin on the night before the first day of the new year. People gather to feast on special foods (including long noodles, symbolizing a long life, and dumplings which represent wealth), enjoy time for relaxation, and visit family and friends. Many people clean and sweep their homes before the Lunar New Year to clear away any bad luck that may be lingering, and to make room for the good fortune and positive energy that the new year brings.

It is also common for people to dress in red clothing and put up red decorations. The colour red is symbolic, referring to the old legend of “Nian” (meaning “Year”): a monster that would attack villagers at the beginning of each new year, but was afraid of bright lights, loud noises, and the colour red. This is also why fireworks and firecrackers are set off on New Year’s Eve, to help chase the monster away.

The final day of Lunar New Year is the Lantern Festival, where people honour ancestors who have passed away. The Lantern Festival symbolizes peace, reconciliation, and forgiveness. People decorate their homes, temples, and streets with colourful, glowing lanterns and carry them through the streets at night in a parade. There is also the Dragon Dance, where a long colourful dragon is carried through the streets by dancers. The dragon is a symbol of good fortune in Chinese communities.

How to greet someone who is celebrating Lunar New Year:

“Happy Lunar New Year”, or simply “Happy New Year”, is a common way to greet someone celebrating this holiday.

You can also say “Kung Hei Fat Choy” (in Cantonese) or “Gong Xi Fa Cai” (in Mandarin), both of which translate to “Wishing you prosperity”.