What Is the Lunar New Year?
2024-02-10
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1On February 10, Asian American communities around the world will ring in the Year of the Dragon.
2Some Lunar New Year celebrations will be public, like parades and fireworks.
3But, families will also gather for private parties.
4The Lunar New Year is a major holiday in several Asian countries.
5And people celebrate over several days or even weeks.
6It is called the Spring Festival in China, Tet in Vietnam and Seollal in Korea.
7The holiday begins on the first new moon of the lunar calendar and ends 15 days later on the first full moon.
8Because the holiday is based on the moon, it falls somewhere between the end of January and the end of February.
9The lunar calendar is based on 12 animals of the Chinese zodiac.
10The animals are rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, goat, monkey, rooster, dog and pig.
11In the Vietnamese zodiac, the cat replaces the rabbit and the buffalo is in place of the ox.
12For 2024, it is the year of the dragon for both.
13One well-known ancient story speaks of Nian, a terrible monster that eats human flesh on New Year's Day.
14But Nian has some fears that weaken him.
15He fears the color red, loud noises and fire.
16So, Lunar New Year activities include putting up red paper dragons on the doors of homes.
17People also burn red lanterns all night and set off firecrackers to chase away the monster.
18To this day, the Lunar New Year celebration is centered on removing bad luck and welcoming all that is good and successful.
19Red is considered a lucky color to ring in a new year.
20In many Asian cultures, the color symbolizes a good future and joy.
21People wear red clothing, decorate their homes with red paper lanterns and use red envelopes to present loved ones with gifts of money.
22Gambling and playing traditional games are common during Lunar New Year among celebrants around the world.
23Ancestor worship is also common during this time.
24Many Korean families take part in a ceremony called "charye."
25Female family members prepare food and male members serve it to ancestors.
26The final act involves the entire family sharing a meal and asking for help from their ancestors for the coming year.
27Vietnamese culture holds a similar tradition.
28People cook traditional dishes and place them on a home altar in honor of their ancestors.
29Members of Asian American communities around the U.S. also organize parades, parties and other events around the Lunar New Year.
30Lion and dragon dances are common, as are fireworks, traditional food and cultural performances.
31People do special cleanings of their homes and decorate using orchids and other brightly colored flowers.
32Each culture has its own special foods for New Year celebration, including dumplings, rice cakes, spring rolls, tangerines, fish and meats.
33In Chinese culture, for example, "changshou mian" or "long-life noodles" are eaten with a wish for a long, healthy and happy life.
34Koreans celebrate with "tteokguk," a soup that contains thinly sliced rice cakes.
35And Vietnamese culture has "banh chung", a traditional dish made from rice, mung bean and pork belly.
36The dish is usually covered with banana leaves, shaped into a square and tied up with strings for steaming.
37I'm Caty Weaver.