While for some people the new year started over two months ago, for others it has just begun. February 17th marked the official start of the Chinese New Year which follows the lunisolar Chinese calendar. The celebration is fifteen days long and concludes with the Lantern Festival on March 3rd. This holiday marks the end of winter and the start of spring, with the first day always falling on the new moon between January 21st and February 20th.
This year celebrates the year of the horse, so anyone born between February 17th to the next Chinese New Year, February 5th 2027, is the Chinese zodiac horse. There are twelve Chinese zodiacs, each represented by an animal and being celebrated in a repeating cycle each year. People born in the years 1942, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002, 2014, and 2026 are the horse zodiac. They are known to be energetic, confident, and outgoing free spirits who express themselves openly. With the new year brings new changes for those of the horse zodiac. This year you will be stepping out of your comfort zones in order to bring the change you have been waiting for. Live true to yourself, but also be mindful and avoid impulsive decisions.
Along with the holiday comes customs and traditions people follow in order to bring luck into the new year. The most common one is wearing red to bring good luck and ward off evil spirits. Making sure to avoid wearing black and white on New Years Day is important as well since they are associated with funerals. Another common one is to avoid washing or cutting your hair on New Year’s Day since it is seen as washing away your luck or cutting off your success or fortune.
Another key part of the holiday is dressing up in cultural outfits! Senior Kaylyn Dao says her favorite part is “the red envelopes, in Vietnamese we call them Lì xì, but I also love wearing my culture’s traditional outfit, an áo dài. We do spring cleaning before new years happen as a superstitious thing, so I deep cleaned the whole house before it hit midnight. I went to the temple the night before new year to pray as well.” For the holiday, celebrating and appreciating family is also important. Red envelopes are typically given to children and unmarried juniors to bring good luck and fortune. To celebrate, Dao says “we’re going to the temple, will play some games, eat lots of food, hangout with family, take some photos, and walk along hoping to get some red envelopes. Also watch the fire crackers and lion dancers when they come out. My family is celebrating on Sunday, but we’re doing about the same thing from last year.”
Locally, celebrations are being held to bring in the New Year! On February 22nd, from 11 am to 4 pm the annual Central Florida Dragon Parade will occur to celebrate the Lunar New Year. Sponsored by all local organizations, this is the 14th year of the parade and festival. Starting the parade on Lake Highland Dr. and going to Park Lake St., the parade will end with the Lunar New Year Festival. The festival will have over 40 local vendors including asian desserts and food, crafts, artwork, jewelry, and much more!
As the Chinese New Year begins, it allows a celebration for families and the upcoming year. Students are able to celebrate with traditions they have grown up with their whole lives and share the joy with others. Happy Lunar New Year to those who celebrate!