Chinese Lunar New Year!

The Lunar New Year in China is one of the most festive and important holidays of the year, similar to Christmas in North America. The Lunar New Year is also known as the "Spring Festival" and is observed as a public holiday in a number of countries. 

2015 Lunar New Year Celebration at NCP

Lunar New Year celebrations traditionally run from Chinese New Year's Eve to the "Lantern Festival" which is on the 15th day of the first month in the Chinese year. This makes the Lunar New year festival the longest in the Chinese calendar. 


Because the Chinese calendar is  considered 'lunisolar,' the Chinese New Year is often referred to as the "Lunar New Year." The Lunar New Year falls on different dates each year, a date between January 21 and February 20 in the Gregorian calendar. In 2015, the festival begins on February 19th. 


The Lunar New Year festival is also celebrated in other countries around the world such as Korea, Japan, Taiwan, Vietnam and more. Families and friends take a break from their busy work life and get together to celebrate the season with a variety celebrations which include a lot of food and the exchange of gifts. The streets are also filled with bargain bazaars, parades, dragon dances etc. and there is often spectacular fireworks, loud celebrations and red decorations which are believed to scare away monsters and bad spirits/energy. This is because the colour red is associated with prosperity and mainly used in this culture for protective purposes. 

During the season, there are many rituals performed each day because it is known to be the most superstitious season. For example, some may spend the first day without showering, doing laundry, cleaning or throwing out garbage. Some people honour their elders and families or visit the oldest/most senior members of their extended family. Rituals tend to continue for 15 days in a row.

During the festival season, locals hang Chinese characters on their door to bring in good fortune for the New Year. On the last day of the festival, locals brew a sweet rice ball in a soup. They also light candles outside their homes as a way to guide spirits home or walk the street carrying lighted lanterns.

The 2015 Lunar New Year is the year of the Sheep (Goat or Ram). The Sheep (Goat or Ram) is gentle and represents solidarity, harmony and calmness. It is said that those born in the year of the Sheep are polite, well mannered, shy, and determined.