The Ultimate Lunar New Year starter kit for beginners

Happy Lunar New Year! (Art by: AJ Yabut)

The Dos and Don'ts of Lunar New Year according to CSUF's resident Asian boba girl

As an Asian girl living in California, I am comfortable with the abundance of support from the Asian American community around me; however, I take it upon myself to present my heritage every chance I get. (Yes, even in my homework).

Lunar New Year, or “Chinese New Year,” is a holiday observed by many Asian countries with an array of customs, traditions, and superstitions. Before I dive deep into what I call my “Lunar New Year starter kit for beginners” for you to get the maximum luck possible (fingers crossed), let’s first talk about the history and significance of this highly decorated celebration.

(Chinese Zodiac in Order, AJ Yabut)

     The Lunar New Year is the celebration to kick start the new lunar calendar. This falls on the second new moon after the winter solstice, and the date varies between January 21st and February 20th. It’s different from each other because of the twelve-year cycle. 

 

The years are classified by elements (wood, fire, earth, metal, and water) and then broken down into the cycle of 12 different animals. The tale of how this came to be is called “The Great Race,” where the first twelve animals will earn a spot in the zodiac.

Fun fact: I am an Earth Tiger (1998) 

Here are the typical things about Earth Tigers

“People born in 1998 year of the Tiger are kind-hearted, helpful, generous, so they are absolutely reliable friends. They are extremely clever, confident, ambitious and full of entrepreneurship.However, most of them are irascible, violent and mercurial. Their desires are so strong, which can even be described as greedy. And they are too proud to care about their partners.” → Travel China Guide

 

I’m not sure if I fit all of those personality traits completely, but I do resonate with being kind-hearted. (Cinderella taught me to have courage and be kind)

Each Asian country that celebrates the lunar new year calls it differently, with varying traditions. In Cantonese, you say “Happy Lunar New Year!” by Gong hei fat choy" (恭喜发财); in Korean, it’s “saehae bogmanh'i bad'euseyo/saehae bog manh'i bad'euseyo” (새해 복 많이 받으세요), and in Vietnamese it’s “​​Chúc mừng năm mới” but no matter how you say it, the main goal is to celebrate the new lunar cycle. 

 

In order to have the maximum luck for the incoming new year here's my guide of traditions and superstitions to follow~

• DO: Wear Red and Gold

• “In Chinese culture, red symbolizes fire, good fortune, and joy” → Sartle

• DON'T: Wear Black or White 

• The color black or white symbolizes death and mourning which is considered back luck and may be a bad omen for the rest of the lunar year.

• DO: Pay all debts 

• As we turn a new leaf, we must settle all unfinished business in order to have a fresh start. 

• DON’T: Take a shower or wash your hair 

• Don’t wash your hair on the day of the Lunar New Year; make sure to do it the night before instead. Some people might even be extremists and not shower altogether.

• DON'T: Do laundry 

• Doing your laundry ( or really any household chore) is going to wash away the incoming good luck. 

• DO: Make Lots of Noise 

• Noise will help ward away evil spirits or bad energy so make sure to bust out your pots and pans and make as much noise as you can to let it be known that bad energy is not welcome in your home.

• DO: Spend time with family 

• I am guilty of not having to spend the past few Lunar New Years with my family since they are so far away but the Lunar New Year is one of those holidays that should bring family together. The act of welcoming a new year and being together means you will keep yourself and your loved ones close. 

• DO: Have positive intentions 

• Perhaps the easiest and most important thing of all is to have good intentions. It’s the one thing that you could do regardless of if you forgot just about every other superstition in this guide. Having good vibes is free.

Food – my favorite one yet.

Since the Lunar New Year is all about celebration, of course, there is a list of foods that we typically serve during LNY. 

• Fish (Prosperity) – This is because the pronunciation of the Chinese word for fish also means 'being abundant,' so it symbolizes well-being and prosperity. According to → Marine Stewardship Council

• Dumplings (wealth) – Other than it's delicious, it's also “the dumplings themselves look like money pouches and are said to represent fortune and prosperity in the coming year” According to→ Ready Set Eat!

• Noodles (Happiness and Longevity) – I was always told growing up that we must eat noodles during birthdays, anniversaries, and other special occasions because the longer the noodles the longer your life would be. Or if it were for a wedding anniversary, eating noodles with signify that your relationship will last long. 

• Nian Gao (Income) – Nian Gao or Tikoy in Filipino is a kind of glutinous rice cake that is streamed, set to dry, and then fried by either putting it in an eggroll wrapper or dipping it in an egg.

“Nian Gao” sounds like “year high” which symbolizes a higher income, a higher position or an increase in prosperity” → Mira Gas

 

• Whole Chicken (Luck)

“Serving an entire chicken (head and feet included) celebrates wholeness and prosperity in the new year. The Chinese word for chicken, jī, is a homophone for good luck and great wealth and also symbolizes unity” → Taste of Home

 

• Egg Rolls (Wealth)

"Egg Rolls or Spring Rolls symbolize good fortune because their rectangular shape is similar to that of gold bars” → Chef Katie Chin

 

There you have it. By this point, you are now a Pro at Lunar New Year, and as long as you stick to my guide, you’re sure to have good luck and prosperity for the incoming Lunar year! 

Lastly, Lunar New Year is not a “one size fits all” type of holiday. Things come up, and you might have to wash your hair on New Year’s Day, which is fine! If there are variations of this holiday to different countries with unique traditions, im sure you could modify it however you like. The most important of it all is to have an open heart, mind, and soul for the upcoming year. Do things that are within your control because it’s always the thought that counts. 

Maligayang Bagong Taon! Mula sa inyong paboritong Asian boba girl!