🌟 Lunar New Year

January 22nd is a remarkable holiday known as Lunar New Year. Say goodbye to the Year of the Tiger, we enter the Year of the Rabbit on January 22nd 2023. Lunar New Year is typically celebrated in China and other Asian countries that begins with the first new moon of the lunar calendar and ends on the first full moon of the lunar calendar which is 15 days later. Approximately 10 days before the beginning of the new lunar year, houses are thoroughly cleaned to eliminate any bad luck that may be lingering inside, a custom is known as “sweeping of the grounds”. Traditionally, Lunar New Year are reserved for family celebrations including religious ceremonies honouring ancestors. Families receive red envelopes (known as lai see) containing certain amounts of money. Dances and fireworks are quite widespread through the holidays, culminating in the Lantern Festival which is celebrated in the last of New Year celebrations. On this night, colourful lanterns beautifully light up the houses and traditional foods such as yuanxiao (sticky rice balls that symbolize family unity), fagao (prosperity cake) and yusheng (raw fish and vegetable salad) are served. There are many origins of Lunar New Year and they are thousands of years old preserved in legends. One very famous legend is known as the Nian who is a malicious beast who feasted on human flesh on Lunar New Year. Because Nian feared the loud noises and fire, red paper decorations were pasted to doors, lanterns were continuously burned all night and firecrackers were struck to frighten the beast away from all the residents. Spend Lunar New Year with all your family and loved ones! Check out the website links below to inform you further on this incredible holiday. → https://www.britannica.com/topic/Lunar-New-Year → https://news.sky.com/story/chinese-new-year-2023-how-it-is-celebrated-and-what-the-year-of-the-rabbit-signifies-12783127