2BScientific - Lunar New Year
2BScientific - Lunar New Year!
The Lunar New Year celebration is a time of reunion, it is the most important traditional holiday in China, and it is celebrated in many other countries with a large Chinese population, such as Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia. Additionally, the Lunar New Year celebrations span internationally, where Asian diaspora communities come together, celebrate their cultural heritage, and share the beauty of it with others. On January 22nd, we will begin the year of the rabbit, which not only represents kindness, sensitivity, and creativity for those who were born in the years of the rabbit (1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011) but also represents some of our key ethics and morals. The Lunar New Year is a time for families to come together and celebrate, and for making wishes for good luck and success in the coming year.
One of the most important traditions of the Lunar New Year is cleaning the house to sweep away bad luck and make room for good luck to come in. Decorations such as red lanterns, banners with promising sayings are hung around the house to welcome the new year and ward off evil spirits.
In addition, family members gather for a big feast on New Year's Eve, typically featuring traditional foods such as dumplings, fish, and nian gao (sweet rice cake). On New Year's Day, people visit relatives and friends, exchange greetings and participate in lion and dragon dances. These dances are believed to bring good luck and drive away evil spirits in addition to loud fireworks being set off at midnight. It is also traditional for older people to give red envelopes filled with money to children and unmarried adults as a symbol of good luck. On the 15th day of the new year, people light and release lanterns into the sky and eat sweet glutinous rice balls.
On this special occasion, we here at 2BScientific would like to wish all those celebrating a very happy Lunar New Year, filled with joy, love, and all the best things in life.
May the new year bring you good health and prosperity.
Gongxi facai!