This past January I watched my social media feeds fill with Lunar New Year celebrations, and I realized that in my 21 years of living, I have never truly learned about the holiday. Disappointed in my lack of knowledge, I travelled to the UBC Nest to partake in some New Year activities and learn from various clubs and groups what Lunar New Year means to them and how they celebrate it.
Before diving into the festivities, I did some preliminary research to find out what the holiday entails. The National Museum of Asian Art describes Lunar New Year as “a celebration of the arrival of spring and the beginning of a new year on the lunisolar calendar,” and is “the most important holiday in China.”
The lunisolar calendar combines lunar cycles and the solar year (which is what is typically followed in Canada), creating a calendar including a whole number of months following the moon cycle. The Chinese calendar refines the lunisolar calendar by including astronomical (space), horological (time) and phenological (climate) observations, including the zodiac scheme which attributes an animal to each year.
Lunar New Year is celebrated in China, South Korea, Vietnam and other countries with significant Chinese populations. The holiday includes window decorating, shopping in markets and most importantly, a reunion dinner with family at which symbolic dishes are served.
This year Lunar New Year fell on January 29, with the 15-day celebration lasting until the Lantern Festival on February 12. My journey to the Nest was on New Year’s Day, and when I arrived, the celebration was in full swing. Several UBC clubs, including the Mahjong Club, the Singapore Students Association, the New Taiwanese Generation and many more had booths set up on the ground floor of the Nest, many of them offering activities and art for attendees.
There were also many traditional dances performed earlier in the day, which I unfortunately missed, but a large stage adorned with paper decorations and lanterns was set up for the performers.
I tried my hand at a few activities — Korean trivia (which I epically failed), learning how to use an abacus and calligraphy — before asking some students and volunteers why Lunar New Year is important to them.
One student said that she gathers with her family at their eldest son’s house in the morning before eating food together. Some dishes she enjoys are jeon, a Korean fritter made with fish, meat and vegetables, and tteokguk, a rice cake soup. After dinner, she and her family bow to their elders and receive money in traditional red envelopes.
Another student celebrated the new year with his friends in Vancouver by eating food together, specifically hot pot. He mentioned that Lunar New Year is a time to get together with your loved ones and cherish the moments you have spent together over the past year. He also noted there are not many opportunities to celebrate in Asian culture, so Lunar New Year is a very important holiday for him and his family to show appreciation for each other and for the year to come.
After speaking with some students, I watched as some festival goers played Mahjong, a Chinese tile game, admired some performers in elaborate dress and stopped by the UBC Botanical Garden booth to check out their snake plants.
I ended my excursion with some fried rice from The Grand Noodle Emporium and dim sum at the AMS booth before heading home to proudly display my new calligraphy skills.
I had a wonderful time learning more about Chinese culture and celebrations at the Nest this year. Despite my embarrassing lack of knowledge on the celebration, everyone I spoke to at the event was patient with my questions and seemed eager to share their traditions.
Happy New Year, and may 2025 finally be our year.
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