Lunar New Year

by Ronnie Neiman

What is Lunar New Year?

Also known as Chinese New Year, This year, 2023, Lunar New Year or Chinese New Year will be on January 22 and it is the Year of the Rabbit. The date for Chinese New Year changes every year, from a Western perspective, but comes in either January or February. It is also called Spring Festival or Lunar New Year because it comes in the springtime and the date is based on the Chinese lunar calendar.

Celebrations of Chinese New Year traditionally last for 16 days, starting from Chinese New Year's Eve to the Lantern Festival. The first 7 days are a public holiday, from January 21st to January 27th in 2023.

Why is Chinese New Year Celebrated?

First, legend states that the Chinese New Year stemmed from an ancient battle against the Nian (/nyen/, which sounds the same as 'year' in Chinese), a terrifying beast that showed up every Lunar New Year's Eve to eat people and livestock. To scare away the monster, people displayed red paper, burned bamboo, lit candles, and wore red clothes. These traditions have been continued until the present time.

Second, it is a celebration of the arrival of spring and the beginning of a new year on the Chinese lunisolar calendar.

Chinese New Year Traditions

Regional customs and traditions vary widely but share the same theme: seeing out the old year and welcoming in the luck and prosperity of a new year. The main Chinese New Year activities include

putting up decorations,
offering sacrifices to ancestors,
eating reunion dinner with family on New Year's Eve,
giving red envelopes and other gifts,
firecrackers and fireworks, and
watching lion and dragon dances