In the Western world, Christmas and New Year are wonderful occasions of celebrating and gathering between families, relatives and friends. Those times are precious to everyone looking forward to sitting at the dinner table and sharing wonderful stories of lives and experiences of the previous year.
Similarly, in the Eastern world including China, Vietnam and some other countries, Lunar New Year is the greatest time of families gathering and a time to relax and reflect on the past year.
Traditionally and culturally, people will return home for the Lunar New Year which is celebrated three days before and three days after the New Year.
Three days before the New Year: this time allows those who live far from home, to come home. People who work in the city can have time to travel to their parents homes. People living overseas can make their way back to where they were born. In addition, with these three days, we clean and tidy up our houses for the New Year: throwing out the old things, mopping the floor, fixing up broken parts, buying new items, cooking tradition food like ‘sticky rice cake’ and decorating the house with flowers and the animal of the year, which is the Ox or Buffalo for 2021. Especially at this time, people spend a lot of time visiting the cemetery where family members are buried. Tombs or graves will be cleaned and decorated with fresh flowers.
The first three days of the New Year: on the first day, we usually go to the Church early in the morning; then we go to the cemetery visiting the graves of family members. Late morning, we will gather the whole family to wish one another happiness, prosperity and success for the coming year, together with giving out the red envelope from the older to the younger. The rest of the day is very much spent playing cards and eating.
On the second day, we dedicate this day to our ancestors and deceased members of the family. We usually attend Mass at the cemetery in Vietnam and visit our family graves again on this second day. Of course, the rest of the day is very much playing cards and more eating.
On the third day, we go to Mass in the morning to pray for whatever we plan for the year and also pray for vocations. Then, we go around to visit one another’s homes and together we play cards and eat some more.
Of course, various countries or families will have some different ways of celebrating their Lunar New Year, but the most important aspect of the Lunar New Year is the time we make for family and friends.
Wishing a happy Lunar New Year to all those who celebrate Lunar New Year at this time. I hope this year of the Ox or Buffalo will bring you happiness and blessings from our merciful God.
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Vince curator says:
Enjoyed reading your article Trac. Wishing you and your family a blessed Lunar New Year.