It’s a time to string red lanterns for good luck as willow green paints the season. People listen to the chattering of their loved ones, as tea slowly diminishes from their cups. A night with family brings luck and happiness, and the Camellias and Begonias that bloom start smiling at each other. A red packet filled with the joy of Spring is then given to loved ones wishing for a little more beauty for the coming year.
The Lunar New Year marks the start of the lunar calendar, but it’s more than a calendar change. The celebration honors ancestors and welcomes a new year of luck and prosperity. Each year corresponds to one of the twelve animals in the Chinese Zodiac. 2025 is the Year of the Snake, which symbolizes wisdom, intuition and charm.
While rooted in Chinese culture, the theme of family resonates across many cultures.
The Lunar New Year is a celebration of ancestors while marking the beginning of the lunar calendar. (Illustration by Maximilien Kiyoi/ The Express)
Angelina Thach, president of the APIA club, shared traditions from Vietnamese culture.
“In Vietnamese culture, traditions include preparing cultural food for ancestors, decorating homes with red lanterns,” Thach said, “hanging red envelopes filled with money on a tree blooming with hoa mai.”
At Las Positas College (LPC), Sui Song and Julie Nguyen brought Lunar New Year festivities to life, emphasizing the importance of upholding traditions.
“When I was younger, I loved receiving red envelopes,” said Song. “Now I get to give them and carry on the tradition.”
To share the festivities, the APIA Student Club and Movement API collaborated with LPC to host activities, such as teaching New Year’s greetings, calligraphy and chopstick lessons and a photo booth for students to capture memories.
The Lunar New Year dates back over 4,000 years to ancient China. It was initially celebrated to honor deities and ancestors for blessings in the new year and to mark the start of Spring. People would decorate streets with red to drive away evil spirits, a tradition still practiced today. This tradition will be carried to Las Positas on Feb. 12. The quad will be transformed with red and gold decorations, to create a festive atmosphere. Students are encouraged to join the tradition of tying written wishes on the citrus tree.
“Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean, and many other ethnic groups all celebrate Lunar New Year,” said Nguyen. “Sui Song and I decided last year that it would be great to bring this event to Las Positas College to increase the visibility of AANHPI holidays. It is also an opportunity to educate others who have never heard of Lunar New Year.”
Through this celebration, Asian culture and heritage will be shared, creating a space for cultural exchange and unity.
***
TOP PHOTO: Las Positas will be holding a celebration of Lunar New Year on Feb. 12. 2025 is the Year of the Snake. (Photo credit: Envato Elements)
Angelina An is a staff writer for The Express. Follow her on X, formally Twitter, @Angibe58887250
