Lunar New Year / Chinese New Year

Lunar New Year is celebrated in many countries around the world.  It’s called Chinese New Year when celebrated in China and Chinese communities, and it’s also called the Spring Festival.

On calendars based on the phases of the moon, Lunar New Year marks the beginning of the year, an important celebration.

On the Gregorian calendar that many of us use, it falls on a different day each year in January or February.Celebrations around this day often include:

- A Lantern Festival

- Fireworks

- Parades with a Lion Dance or Dragon Dance

- eating noodles, tang yuan (a dessert made of rice balls) and dumplings,

- and Family gatherings where red envelopes with gifts of money are given for good luck in the coming year. 

The New Year’s Eve family reunion and dinner is often considered the most important part of the Lunar New Year for families who celebrate. It is an important time to show respect and share wishes for good fortune to those you care about.If you want to wish someone a Happy and Prosperous New Year in Cantonese, you could say /gong hey fat choy/ .