Widely celebrated by East and Southeast Asians, the Lunar New Year is an important holiday for around two billion people across the globe
Cambridge, ON – As its name suggests, it marks the start of the year according to their shared lunisolar calendar. Some names for the holiday include: Chūnjié (春節) in Chinese, Seollal (설날) in Korean, and Tết in Vietnamese, among others. This year’s Lunar New Year also coincides with Losar (ལོ་སར), the Tibetan lunar new year, and Tsagaan Sar (ᠴᠠᠭᠠᠨ ᠰᠠᠷᠠ/Цагаан сар), the Mongolian lunar new year.
The upcoming Year of the Dragon begins on February 10. People born this year, as well as in the lunar years beginning in 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, and 2012 are said to be intelligent, charismatic, confident, and powerful. (Fun fact: folks born in January or early February might actually fall under the previous calendar year’s sign. For example, someone born in January 1989 is a dragon since the year of the snake began on February 6, 1989.)
Familial ties and togetherness are key themes in Lunar New Year celebrations. While customs and traditions differ between countries and cultures, a common practice is for families to gather and celebrate over a special meal. For millions of people, this involves travelling far distances to return to their hometowns and be with their loved ones. Families often consume traditional dishes, each of which bear a different symbolic meaning that is meant to bring good fortune for the year.
As everyone across the OHA heads to arenas and gather with Friends and teammates, let’s not forget the impact the Chinese community and Lunar New Year has on our society and the need to celebrate it!
