The Chinese Lunar New Year begins Sunday, celebrating the year of the rabbit
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- Jan. 22 is the first day of the Chinese Lunar New Year.
The holiday is celebrated by many different Asian cultures, not just those of Chinese decent.
Chinese Lunar New Year's Day is celebrated over the course of months in Asian cultures but in the U.S., it's celebrated on the first day.
"The Lunar New Year is a really important holiday for a lot of Asian cultures, not just Chinese," Colorado Asian Cultural Heritage Center member and dancer Dao Than said. "For us it really is the biggest holiday of the year. In Asia, people get a whole week off and the celebration is several months long."
The New Year begins when the new moon appears.
"It's a way of welcoming in our new year because it goes off of the moon cycle, a fresh start, and a new beginning for all of us," Than said.
During this period, families get together and clean their homes to usher in fresh blessings for the new year. The cleaning is symbolic of chasing out bad luck and ushering good fortune into the new year. Families also gather, enjoy special meals, and give children money in red envelopes.
In traditional culture, there is also a lantern festival at the end of the celebration. In which glowing lanterns are hung up or carried around. Accompanied by parades and ceremonial dances.
In Colorado Springs, the Colorado Asian Cultural Heritage Center will be performing at both locations of Shangri-La Restaurant at 3 and 4 p.m. to usher in the year of the rabbit. The performance will be at 3 p.m. at the restaurant's main north location and 4 p.m. at the restaurant's east location.
