Happy Lunar New Year!

Have you seen the red lanterns and decorative pig ornaments? What about the fire crackers and the dragon dances?

It’s Lunar New Year!

Lunar New Year is celebrated by many East Asian countries like China, Vietnam and Korea, whose calendars run based on the moon cycle. For many families, it is a time to celebrate the New Year, appreciation of family, and praying to ancestors for family health and prosperity. In 2019, the New Year occurred on Tuesday 5 February, celebrating the Year of the Pig. The Year of the Pig celebrates the race that all the animals took part in to be eligible to be in the Chinese zodiac, with the Pig coming in twelfth place.

Many families go to the temples to light incense and pray to their ancestors for health and prosperity. Children and unmarried family members may receive ‘lucky’ money in red envelopes known as red pockets, and it is meant to help transfer the fortune from family elders to the children. Depending on family and culture, the celebration can often last from three to seven or even more days!

We got insights into how some Talent Participants celebrate the Lunar New Year.

“We normally have lots of seafood; like crab, lobster or fish”, said Jeffrey Min.

“My favourite part of New Year used to be receiving the red pockets, but now it is being able to share a feast with my family. For the handful of times I’ve celebrated it in China, I loved setting off firecrackers and fireworks.”

In China, the festival is called the Spring Festival.

Samantha Read, who also celebrates said that her family has a feast of traditional Vietnamese food – including yellow and purple sticky rice, and special Vietnamese cake which is like a brick of glutinous rice, mung beans and meat wrapped in banana leaves.”

“My favourite part of New Year, (which is called the Tet Festival in Vietnam) is the fact that I get to see all my cousins, even those who do not usually come to our family gatherings throughout the year because of where they live.”

Did you know…?

If it is your zodiac animal being celebrated, it is actually a year of bad luck? You can wear red to help keep away the bad luck! To see which zodiac animal you are based on your birth year check out this website!

Have you seen the red lanterns and decorative pig ornaments? What about the fire crackers and the dragon dances?

It’s Lunar New Year!

Lunar New Year is celebrated by many East Asian countries like China, Vietnam and Korea, whose calendars run based on the moon cycle. For many families, it is a time to celebrate the New Year, appreciation of family, and praying to ancestors for family health and prosperity. In 2019, the New Year occurred on Tuesday 5 February, celebrating the Year of the Pig. The Year of the Pig celebrates the race that all the animals took part in to be eligible to be in the Chinese zodiac, with the Pig coming in twelfth place.

Many families go to the temples to light incense and pray to their ancestors for health and prosperity. Children and unmarried family members may receive ‘lucky’ money in red envelopes known as red pockets, and it is meant to help transfer the fortune from family elders to the children. Depending on family and culture, the celebration can often last from three to seven or even more days!

We got insights into how some Talent Participants celebrate the Lunar New Year.

“We normally have lots of seafood; like crab, lobster or fish”, said Jeffrey Min.

“My favourite part of New Year used to be receiving the red pockets, but now it is being able to share a feast with my family. For the handful of times I’ve celebrated it in China, I loved setting off firecrackers and fireworks.”

In China, the festival is called the Spring Festival.

Samantha Read, who also celebrates said that her family has a feast of traditional Vietnamese food – including yellow and purple sticky rice, and special Vietnamese cake which is like a brick of glutinous rice, mung beans and meat wrapped in banana leaves.”

“My favourite part of New Year, (which is called the Tet Festival in Vietnam) is the fact that I get to see all my cousins, even those who do not usually come to our family gatherings throughout the year because of where they live.”

Did you know…?

If it is your zodiac animal being celebrated, it is actually a year of bad luck? You can wear red to help keep away the bad luck! To see which zodiac animal you are based on your birth year check out this website!

Page published: 28 Feb 2019, 07:11 AM