Lunar New Year is a celebration in many Asian countries that marks the start of the year based on the lunar calendar.   The lunar calendar follows the cycles of the moon so that the new year falls between January and February. This year it landed on Feb. 17. 

  Junior Xingyu Zhu, president of the Chinese Culture Club, said, “In Chinese culture, we use two sets of calendars, one is the modern Gregorian calendar and the other is the lunar calendar, which has different dates from the Gregorian calendar.”

Each year of the Lunar New Year represents a different animal according to the Chinese zodiac. The animals represent how people born in that year act. This year was the year of the horse; people born in the year of the horse are believed to be energetic, independent and hardworking.

There are many different traditions during the Lunar New Year. Many people decorate with and wear red because it is associated with good luck. People also like to clean their houses before the Lunar New Year to get rid of bad luck. Another tradition involves adults giving children red envelopes filled with money, symbolizing good fortune. Many families also honor their ancestors by doing offerings and prayers.

The Lunar New Year is more than just a celebration; it also represents good luck and a fresh start. During the Lunar New Year, it is time to leave behind anything bad that happened and bring in happiness. It represents a time of celebration, remembrance and fresh starts.