On Jan. 27, Fremd’s Asian American Club (AAC) hosted a gathering after school to commemorate Lunar New Year. AAC kicked off the celebration with a presentation about Lunar New Year and its history, listing the different countries that observe the holiday and how they celebrate, what kind of food is eaten, and what some traditions are.
Also known as Spring Festival, Lunar New Year is observed on the first new moon according to the lunar calendar. The lunar calendar is based on the sun’s rotation around earth, so each year has a varying number of months. This means that each year, Lunar New Year is celebrated on a different day of the Gregorian calendar, which is the calendar the U.S. follows. This year, the holiday fell on January 29.
Countries following the lunar calendar each have unique traditions to celebrate the new year. In China, children receive Hong Bao, or Red Envelopes, filled with money from elders. Red envelopes symbolize good luck, life, and happiness, and the red color wards of evil spirits. In Vietnam, families prepare traditional dishes and place them on a home altar as a sign of respect towards their ancestors. Other countries have similar traditions.
“[My favorite part about Lunar New Year] is getting red envelopes and [eating] mooncakes,” freshman Grace Lim said.
Another tradition many look forward to is the arrival of the new Chinese zodiac. The Chinese zodiacs are 12 animals with unique attributes that repeat every 12 years. Each year corresponds to a specific zodiac. This year’s zodiac is the snake, which will be followed by the horse, goat, monkey, rooster, dog, pig, rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, and then the snake again in 2037.
After the presentation, AAC provided an array of Asian snacks, such as shrimp crackers, Hello Panda Cookies, and Turtle Chips. Following this was a dumpling making competition, where competitors used Play-Doh to sculpt dumplings with a prize of various Asian snacks.
In addition to the contest, AAC also set up a wide variety of other activities, including bracelet making, Japanese origami, and a game of Korean Dak Ji.
Sophomore AAC executive board member Joanna Chua describes Lunar New Year as a chance to be with family and enjoy a variety of foods.
“I really want to bring the tradition of being with your community to Fremd,” Chua said. “That’s what Lunar New Year means to me–being with your family and celebrating together. Another aspect I enjoy is the food. All the food eaten around Lunar New Year is really good.”
Historically, observers used vacation days to travel to reconnect with relatives they seldom see. For many, Lunar New Year is an opportunity to spend time with family and travel great distances to commemorate the new year with loved ones.
“The biggest part of Lunar New Year for me is spending time with family, getting Hong Bao, and eating good food,” sophomore Emily Fei said.
Freshman Jessica Cygan shares her favorite part of Lunar New Year.
“I love the food and the fact that every Chinese person I know gets together to celebrate,” Cygan said.
As Lunar New Year celebrations and festivities come to a close, AAC continues to foster a sense of belonging and community by honoring both well-known and underrepresented Asian cultures. With more celebrations planned throughout the year–including a presence at the upcoming multicultural fair–AAC remains a vibrant space for students to connect, celebrate, and share their culture.
