Lunar New Year - 2021 Year of the Ox The Lunar New Year isn't only observed in China, it's celebrated across several countries and other territories in Asia, including South Korea, Vietnam, Tibet and Singapore. In the U.S., it is most commonly associated with what is often called Chinese New Year, an American version of China's 15- day-long festivities. It's called the Lunar New Year because it marks the first new moon of the lunisolar calendars traditional to many east Asian countries which are regulated by the cycles of the moon and sun. Spring Festival, Lunar • “Jiu Niang Tang” – sweet Traditions of Lunar New Years New Year or Chinese wine-rice soup Attracting and carrying over good fortune into the next • New Year? Dumplings symbolize year is a major theme of the holiday, and so is protecting wealth against bad fortune. Chinese New Year • Long Noodles represent Spring Festival longevity • Dances: The Dragon Dance features visible chunjie (春节) puppeteers holding poles as they make the dragon move in a flowing motion. A Lion Dance typically Things to Do and Not Do Korean New Year features two performers inside the costume, Seolla Do: operating as the creature's front and back legs. It's supposed to send away any evil spirits. It's an Vietnamese New Year • Only talk about good, happy things opportunity to feed the lion with red envelopes. While Tết nguyên Đán these two dances are among the best known, • Pay back your debts before Taiwaneses New Year the new year starts or it is Maasbach says they're just a few examples native to Spring Festival bad luck. specific regions. China is a very diverse country, with many different practices, the Fan Dance, the • Wear red, it attracts luck! Tibetan New Year Phoenix Dance, the Lion Dance, they are all Losar Don’t: provincial expert pieces. • Cry or Argue • Mongolian New Year • Cut your hair & stay Red Envelopes Filled with Money: They are Tsagaan Sar away from scissors. In a traditionally gifted from an elder or parent to children, or really anyone who's unmarried. If your brother is time of family togetherness it is taboo 40 and he's unmarried he still gets red envelopes. Traditional Food as it is believed you’ll The custom arose out of a tradition of using coins as be severing a gift to ward off evil spirits. The Lunar New Years Eve connections. • Firecrackers: Firecrackers and fireworks are often meal is the most important • Avoid wearing black or set off throughout Lunar New Year, both to ward off meal for the year. Families white as those colors an ancient monster called Nian, and because it's gather together. are associated with became a raucous way to celebrate. • Eight Treasures Rice: mourning. (rice, walnuts, different • Don’t wash your hair or colored dry fruit, raisins, do laundry on day 1 or 2 sweet red bean paste, • Don’t sweep or take out jujube dates & almonds) the garbage or you will • Upside-down fu characters: On Lunar New Year, • “Tang Yuan” black take away accrued you'll commonly see a calligraphy character on a sesame rice ball soup; wealth and luck. square of red paper, hung in a diamond shape. The or a won ton soup • Don’t visit hospitals and character, 福 [fú], which means good luck, • Chicken, duck, fish and avoid taking meds. happiness or fortune, is hung upside down for Lunar pork dishes • Avoid borrowing or New Year. • “Song Gao,” made of lending money coarsely ground rice • Avoid killing anything formed into a small, including livestock. sweet round cake Blood is a bad omen 2021 Year of the Metal Ox and brings misfortune. .