We really enjoyed the Chinese New Year celebrations in Singapore. Everything from the lion dance in our condo, the lantern making in the community centers, to the moon cake tasting in almost every mall. I learned a few new things about it from some friends this year, and realized that though we enjoy it every year, I actually didn’t know much about the festival. So I did some homework and prepared this post as a kid friendly introduction to the festival, with a fun activity sheet you can do you’re your kids afterwards.
What is the Lunar New Year?
The Lunar New Year marks the beginning of the traditional Chinese calendar. It started in 140 BC to ask the gods for a good harvest . Falling in late January / early February, it’s also known as the Spring Festival. It’s a really important holiday In China and South East Asian countries like Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia and Vietnam. The celebration lasts several days, with families gathering together to celebrate, eat a big feast and exchange gifts.
Every year has an animal from the Chinese Zodiac
Similar to the Babylonian Zodiac (Scorpio, Piceses, Virgo, etc.) which has 12 star signs in a year (based on the position of the sun), the Chinese Zodiac has twelve animal signs, but only one for each year & based on a lunar calendar. 2023 is the year of the Rabbit. The animal is important because it represents what the year will be like, and what children born in that year will be like.
According to Dr Hongling Liang, a lecturer in Mandarin at the University of Glasgow, “The rabbit is a very gentle and clever animal. It may not be the strongest of the 12 animals, but its charm and speed attracts good qualities such as money, partnership and success.” Per the Chinese Zodiac, he says this year is “likely to be calm and gentle, bringing an energy that will help those looking for more of a balanced life,” – something that I’m certainly looking for this year!
Finding your Zodiac Animal can be a really fund way to teach your kids about Chinese New Year. If they’re really curious you can even talk about their what their Zodiac Element is. Whilst Vietnam also celebrates the Lunar New Year (called Tet in Vietnam), they celebrate the year of the Cat instead of the Rabbit.
What are the Traditions & Customs?
There’s a whole host of different traditions and customs to celebrate the new festival. The most important tradition is the reunion dinner, where the whole family gathers together to celebrate on Lunar New Year’s Eve. Kids return home to their families. Married couples go to the boy’s family on the first day and then to the girls family on the second day.
Some of the most exciting traditions that your children will certainly remember are these:
Lion Dance
This is a traditional Chinese folk dance, with lots of loud music and drums. Usually a man dressed as Budha leads the lion to eat a lettuce with a red packet tied to it. The lion does all sorts of clever acrobatics to eat the lettuce, and then spits it out onto the ground as a lucky word. The lion dance is supposed to bring good luck and chase away evil. The dance originates from the legend of Nian, a beast that terrorized a small village every New Year’s Eve. The villagers were saved by a man dressed in red, who shone bright lights and made loud sounds to scare away the beast. The story seems to vary a little from source to source, but it’s largely the same.
Moon Cakes
Moon cakes are one of the most iconic foods associated with Chinese New Year. There’s loads of different variaties and they can be surprisingly expensive. They’re usually embossed with images of flowers or the Chinese characters for luck and prosperity. They’re a really popular gift option, as eating moon cakes is supposed to bring good fortune in the coming year. They’re also eaten during the Mid-Autumn festival (also known as the Mooncake festival).
Red Envelopes (Hongbao)
Older family members give red envelopes filled with money called “hongbao” to younger family members. Giving money is a way of sending good luck and fortune. The red packets symbolize luck, joy, wealth, and happiness.
Lantern Festival
The lantern festival happens on the 15th day of the Lunar New Year and is the last of the celebrations, it’s about reconciliation, peace, and forgiveness. Many people write wishes on the lantern and then light the candle inside to send the wishes into the sky – where their ancestors might see them & make them come true. Decorating lanterns is a really popular festive activity for kids across South East Asia. There are lots of different stories about where the lantern festival originates from.
Wishing you a Happy Lunar New Year
To wish your friends or family a Happy Lunar New Year it’s traditional to put your hands together and say “GongXi FaCai“. (Google translate does a great job of pronouncing this, click the speaker icon). I hope this helps teach your little ones about the Chinese New Year celebrations, customs and traditions. You can test their knowledge with this (free) printable activity sheet. Teaching kids about other cultures, how and why they celebrate different things, help to prevent racism, stereotyping and bullying. Wishing you a healthy & prosperous New Year!
