The Tradition of the Lunar New Year

The Tradition of the Lunar New Year

By: Lindsey Trinh

Unlike the typical New Year that is always on January 1, Lunar New Year has no regular date. The holiday traditionally falls between late January and early February. 2021 is the year of the ox, and Lunar New Year will be celebrated on February 12. In some Southeastern Asian countries, such as China, the holiday is celebrated for 16 days.

Many people may look for the perfect little black dress or an outfit with all the glitter and gold when picking out a New Year's outfit. But, that’s not typically what is sought after when it comes to Lunar New Year.

The people of Southeast Asian cultures usually associate the color red with Lunar New Year. Red appears in most outfits during the holiday in various decorations, such as lanterns and red envelopes, which are also presented in red. The color red symbolizes good fortune and joy.

Many people also wear traditional clothing accustomed to their culture when celebrating the new year. When I go to Lunar New Year celebrations, I often see people from the same Vietnamese background as mine wearing áo dàis, a traditional Vietnamese garment worn by both sexes.

These traditional clothing pieces can be found in an assortment of colors, red being one of the more popular colors. They are sometimes embroidered with Chinese gold letters, but most áo dàis display flowers such as the cherry blossom, which is commonly associated with the holiday. The clothing article can be described as a long, split tunic dress which is worn over trousers. Besides wearing it during the Lunar New Year celebrations, an áo dài has also become a classic tradition to wear at Vietnamese weddings.

When honoring Lunar New Year, most holiday ideas revolve around bringing good fortune to those who celebrate it. One of the most recognizable traditions of the holiday is the giving and receiving of the red envelope. Friends and family normally gift each other red envelopes in which money can be found inside. It is a sign of good wishes and luck for the new year ahead.

At the New Year festivals, one of the most important events is the dragon dance performance. During the dance, a team of dancers perform under a dragon costume and mimic a dragon's movements throughout the festival grounds. Surrounding the dragon is a team of musicians who generally play the drums, gongs, and cymbals. To accompany the dragon and loud “booms” of the instruments are red dynamite fireworks. 

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