Lunar New Year is a significant and meaningful cultural celebration for many people of East and Southeast Asian heritage including Chinese, Korean, Taiwanese, Vietnamese and Indonesian communities, to name a few. It is celebrated across the Asia-Pacific and diaspora communities around the world. This holiday commemorates the first day of the Lunar Calendar. The date is determined by the appearance of the moon and usually takes place between late January to early February. For some, this occasion has religious significance as well.
Lunar New Year is celebrated where families come together, enjoy traditional foods and activities. Many countries also have their own unique ways of celebrating the event. These could include families coming together to spend time with one another, sharing of traditional meals, and engaging in traditional activities such as cleaning the house and performing ceremonial ritual to elders and ancestors. For example, in many Chinese communities, customs may include: cleaning houses, paying off debts, settling old arguments, and other means of making a "fresh start." In the Korean community, the ceremonial ritual of seh-bae (deep bow) is performed to the elders and ancestors. Families share the traditional meal of rice cake and dumpling soup and play traditional games such as yut-nori.
We wish all students, staff and community celebrating Lunar New Year a happy and joyful celebration in the company of family and friends.