Lunar New Year 

By: Jahahara Jarin

Lunar New Year, also known as the Chinese New Year, is celebrated this year on February 10th, 2024. The Lunar New Year is centered around removing bad luck and welcoming all that is good and prosperous. It begins with the first new moon of the lunar calendar and ends 15 days later on the first full moon. Since the lunar calendar is based on the cycles of the cycles of the moon, the dates of the holiday vary slightly each year, falling between late January and mid-February. Each year honors an animal based on the Chinese zodiac. The circle of 12 animals — the rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, goat, monkey, rooster, dog and pig — measure the cycles of time. This year is the year of the dragon. One well-known legend speaks of Nian, a beast that feasted on human flesh on New Year’s Day. The beast feared the color red, loud noises and fire, which made the tradition of putting red paper dragons on doors, burned red lanterns all night and set off firecrackers to frighten and chase away the beast. In many Asian cultures, the color red symbolizes good fortune and joy. People dress up in red attire, decorate their homes with red paper lanterns and use red envelopes to give friends and family money for the new year, symbolizing good wishes for the year ahead.