Lunar New Year 2021
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Photo Credit: chinesenewyear.net |
It's called the Lunar New Year because it marks the first new moon of the lunisolar calendars traditional to many east Asian countries including China, South Korea, and Vietnam, which are regulated by the cycles of the moon and sun.
In China, the 16-day celebration kicks off on New Year's Eve with a family feast called a reunion dinner full of traditional Lunar New Year foods, and typically ends with the Lantern Festival.
16 Days
Celebrations last up to 16 days, but only the first 7 days are considered a public holiday (February 11th–17th, 2021).
Year of the Ox
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| Photo Credit: Old Farmer's Almanac |
New Year’s Day and New Year’s Eve are celebrated with family. Traditionally, family celebrations were religious affairs, given in honor of the household and ancestors. Close up portrait of a big Asian family showing Tet symbols with traditional greetings at home The most important religious ritual, was the sacrifice to the ancestors. Loved ones, dearly departed are remembered with the greatest respect, as they are responsible for the present and future good family fortune.
The family celebration on New Year’s Eve is known as the “surrounding the stove” or weilu. This comprises of a dinner arranged for the spirits of the ancestors, together with the living and represents past and present, and one strong community.
The most important New Year custom is for married couples to give lucky money called ‘lay-see’ to unmarried relatives, especially children. ‘Lay-see’ is a red packet containing ‘lucky money’ which people believe will bring luck to both the receiver and giver. Older family members must also give lucky money to all those who are younger in the family, including those who are married. Kung hei fat choy!
Lunar New Year traditions include the Dragon Dance and the distribution of red envelopes filled with money.
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KILITO CHAN/GETTY IMAGE |
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| Photo Credit: Food Network |
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| Photo Credit: Food Network |
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| Photo Credit: Mary Lee |
By Mary Lee
Even though I am of Chinese descent, I had never celebrated Chinese New Year until I married my husband, Reagan. I grew up in a Christian home, and we celebrated our new year on January 1st with the rest of the world.
However, for most Chinese and many East Asians, Lunar New Year is an important day. It’s a day that families gather together and eat. It sets the tone for the whole year by showing due respect for the ancestors by bowing in front of the ancestral altar.
While we were engaged, this topic of family altars came up in our conversation. He solemnly told me that his father would allow me to take part in family bowing at the altar since we were already engaged. I was not ready to respond to this invitation, and my reaction to words like “altar” and “bowing” sent us off to a very heated discussion, resulting in me throwing my engagement ring at my dear fiancé. That fight was calmed by a wise decision to let me be a photographer of the family altar tradition, and a promise to not demand our children to bow to it in the future.
Fast forward 19 years to now, we are in the middle of the social distancing due to COVID-19. Reagan’s parents, the center of family activities, are hiding safely in a lower covid number area with their older son. Now that we are not able to have a special new year dinner, receive a money envelope called Hong Bao (meaning red envelope), or wrap dumplings together on new year’s eve and eat them together on new year’s day, I sincerely miss them. I have matured as a Christian to see the cultural and honoring aspects of the family altar. (I still do not feel comfortable bowing.) And I realize I learned to love the beautiful cultural aspect of the Lunar New Year.
If you want to take part in Chinese New Year, try wearing a red color and exchange a red envelope with blessings inside. Chinese people love to receive blessings and plays on words. Just avoid using the number four because it means “death” in Chinese. A good example is, put 7 crisp dollar bills and add a small note that says “Bible says #7 is several completeness. May your year be completed by the blessing of Creator God.” People will receive it with joy and feel honored that you are showing respect to their culture, and it may spark interesting conversations with them!
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| Photo Credit: Mary Lee |
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