新年好 • 새해 복 많이 받으세요 • Chúc mừng năm mới
The Lions get to dance but what about the rats? Happy Lunar New Year - Year of the Rat! Embarrassingly,
I am a day late. After a busy day with my sweet nieces ages 3 months and 4 years and then ballroom dancing for late last night I was too pooped to get my entry done. I have really been slacking but I am going to try to get back in the swing of things. It is my Lunar New Year resolution. I read that most peoples' New Year's resolutions have reached their half-life by now or have been completely abandoned, so maybe we should all celebrate the Lunar New Year as a way to get back on the horse--err rat. Every year we get a new mascot, cool.
The Chinese lunar calendar is actually a lunisolar calendar. The lunar New Year is celebrated in many Asian countries and regions including Korea, Taiwan, Vietnam(Tet), Tibet. It is actually the Spring festival. So, while Punxsutawney Phil has us hunkering down for 6 more weeks of winter, Asia is thinking spring.
Like our traditional western New Year, Lunar New Year is a time for renewal and that is about where the similarities end. There is a strong focus on family and many, many businesses are shut down or operating on a very abbreviated status during the 15 day festival! Can you imagine this in the good old USA? I have experienced Tet. It is amazing to be involved in such rich tradition. People make extended time for you and their families. Thoughtfully created celebrations fill your eyes with such explosive color, age old images, fabulous dances and splendor in the streets, it makes you cry from exquisite sensual overload. Absolutely everyone participates.
This is the year of
the rat or mouse, if you prefer. Those born this year needn't be embarrassed of their sign, for they are respected, enterprising and courageous they are considered to be the most sturdy of all the animal signs.
The celebrations conclude with a lantern festival. Photo by Mike Hurd. It just gets better and better!
More to come on some of the traditions of a lunar New Year Celebration. After all I have 15 days to be relevant!
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