As a teenager my family moved to Penang, Malaysia, a beautiful tropical island famous for delicious street food. There were many things that made Malaysia different than our home in Michigan. One memorable change was the island-wide celebration of Chinese New Year.
Chinese New Year, which may also be called the Lunar New Year or the Spring Festival, celebrates the start of a new year on the Chinese calendar. The event lasts for more than a week and includes family gatherings, special foods, exchanging gifts, and more. I especially remember hearing fireworks outside my window all night long during the season. Interested in celebrating Chinese New Year yourself? Here’s how you can do just that, right here in Lansing!
Learn your zodiac sign
February 10, 2024 will be the start of the year of the Dragon, according to the Chinese zodiac. Depending on your birth year, you may have a Rabbit as your zodiac sign — or a Tiger, Dragon, Dog or other sign. Learn your zodiac sign and what traits that sign is connected with.
Try something new
A large part of celebrating the Spring Festival is eating special foods, like dumplings, fish, and dessert cakes. Not only are they delicious, but the foods are symbols of wealth, longevity, and success in the new year. Check out this kid-friendly recipe for Chinese dumplings — and invite me over if you make them!
Another tradition is to exchange red envelopes, called hóngbāo, with money inside. These red envelopes are usually given from adults to children, or from bosses to employees as a new year bonus. Follow these instructions to make your own hóngbāo at home. Hand them out to friends with a few dollars, or with stickers or other special treat inside.
Photo courtesy of the Greater Lansing Chinese Association Facebook page.
Celebrate with your neighbors
We have a large Chinese population right here in the Lansing area, and a number of Spring Festival traditions you can participate in:
- The Spartan Chinese School put on a virtual Chinese New Year gala in 2021. View the video of this special event, complete with music and performances from across the community! Watch the recording of this event here.
- The Greater Lansing Chinese Association and other community partners will be hosting a celebration at the Meridian Mall on Sunday, February 11th.
- Visit your favorite local Chinese restaurant to see if they have any New Year specials! And wish the owners a happy new year — watch this video for instructions on how to do just that.
