How People Celebrate Lunar New Year Worldwide

Jenny Lee February 07, 2024 | 01:37

Although it is sometimes called the Chinese New Year, Lunar New Year is a yearly celebration observed throughout Asia.

How Lunar New Year Is Celebrated in Different Countries in Asia

Lunar New Year in Vietnam - Each countries enjoy the Lunar New Year with unique traditions and celebrations.

Table of Contents
What distinguishes the Chinese New Year from the Lunar New Year? Which nations observe Lunar New Year? Do nations observe Lunar New Year in the same manner? Why is the new year observed on a different day in some Asian countries? China Vietnam South Korea Philippines Malaysia Indonesia Singapore Brunei Cambodia and Thailand Tibet

Despite being called Chinese New Year a lot of the time,Lunar New Year is observed globally.

Although many other countries now observe the holiday as a national holiday, it is still commonly known as Chinese New Year. However, this is starting to change. While Lunar New Year celebrations differ from culture to culture, there is one thing that unites them all: family get-togethers. The Lunar New Year is a very significant holiday for spending time with family and seeing loved ones you haven't seen in a long time.

What distinguishes the Chinese New Year from the Lunar New Year?

The two holidays are technically distinct from one another because Chinese New Year is a celebration of customs unique to the Chinese people, while Lunar New Year is a celebration of the new year observed by many different cultures based on the lunar calendar. All nations that follow the lunar calendar celebrate the holiday on the same day, despite the fact that some customs may differ from nation to nation.

Which nations observe Lunar New Year?

Eastern Asia is home to the only nations that observe Lunar New Year. China, Bhutan, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, Tibet, Vietnam, and Japan are among these nations.

Do nations observe Lunar New Year in the same manner?

Every nation celebrates the first few days of the new year with a unique set of festivities. Since most nations celebrate with festivals and parades, we have concentrated on the various customs that some of them follow.

Why is the new year observed on a different day in some Asian countries?

There are only five nations that do not use the Gregorian calendar. Today, most people in the world use this calendar. Not one of those five nations is in East Asia. While their holidays and festivals are based on the Lunar Calendar, countries that observe the Lunar New Year continue to use the current Gregorian Calendar.

China

One of the most significant celebrations in China is Lunar New Year, also known as ChūnJié (春节). The Year of the Ox is being celebrated this year with an abundance of food, a ton of firecrackers, and a get-together of family. Like in Vietnam, adults also give children red envelopes, or hóng bƻo, filled with cash. Since red is thought to be a lucky color, red lanterns and red paper cutouts can be found everywhere as decorations. Dancers dress up as animals for performances like lion and dragon dances, which are very popular. The first new moon of the lunar calendar usually marks the start of the Lunar New Year celebrations, which continue until the first full moon.

Vietnam

In Vietnam, the Lunar New Year is known as Tết. Children receive lì x̬, or little red envelopes stuffed with cash, from adults. On special occasions, families get together to celebrate and enjoy dishes like banh chung, which are savory rice cakes. To ward off the evil spirits, people set off fireworks and display fruit trays with five different fruits on them. Vietnamese families frequently make sacrifices by going to the temple or the graves of their ancestors.

Vietnamese Tet (Lunar New Year): Dates, Holidays and Celebrations

South Korea

Families get together for a large feast to celebrate Lunar New Year in South Korea. Since rice cakes resemble coins, tteokguk, a soup made with rice cakes, is served as a special treat on Seollal, the holiday. Beautiful scrolls containing blessings are hung on doors by South Koreans as a way of honoring their ancestors.

Philippines

In the Philippines, Lunar New Year is observed as a non-working holiday, even though not all Filipinos observe it. Chinese-Filipinos celebrate it primarily as a Chinese holiday, and Binondo in Manila is the site of the largest celebration. Being among the world's oldest Chinatowns, Binondo hosts an array of lavish Lunar New Year celebrations each year.

Malaysia

Malaysia's national holiday, commonly known as Chinese New Year, shares similarities with Singapore's in that it emerged from a sizable Chinese immigrant population. In years when there isn't a pandemic, there are street performances of lions and dragons as part of the New Year's festivities. Large family get-togethers and feasts featuring traditional Chinese cuisine are also customary.

Indonesia

For a long while, it was actually forbidden to celebrate Lunar New Year, also known as Imlek, in Indonesia. Chinese and Indonesian immigrants were not permitted to observe it as a national holiday until 2002. During the holiday, many stores are closed, and red decorations are strung throughout homes and places of business. Citrus trees and flowers are also purchased as gifts for loved ones.

Singapore

One of the most auspicious holidays of the year is Lunar New Year, which is celebrated by Singaporeans as well. Many of the same cultural celebrations are held in Singapore because of the sizeable Chinese community there. Among them are the firecrackers, large family meals, hóng bƻo, and the red accents that decorate houses and the entire city.

Brunei

Because of the Chinese immigrants who brought their New Year customs with them, Brunei is a small country that celebrates Lunar New Year. Chinese people make up about 10% of the population, and they celebrate with open houses and lion dances. The Bruneian government has placed limitations on the festivities this year, prohibiting open houses and capping family get-togethers at 350 guests, among other measures.

Cambodia and Thailand

Although there aren't as many Chinese people celebrating Lunar New Year in these nations, there are still a sizable number of Chinese citizens who do. You might come across special offers or promotions in relation to the festival if you happen to be in any of these nations during the Lunar New Year. Neither Cambodia nor Thailand nor Indonesia formally observe Lunar New Year as a holiday.

Tibet

Many times, the Lunar New Year and the Tibetan New Year, also known as the Losar Festival, are confused. Although the dates occasionally line up, the celebration according to the Tibetan calendar is entirely different. Similar to Lunar New Year, Losar is considered a major holiday in many Asian countries. Tibetans dance, drive out ghosts, and serve guthuk, or dumplings, as part of their celebration.

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