[Traditional oriental lanterns and decor are hanging on the street. Photo Credit to Pexels]

New York City is setting up for the 2025 Lunar New Year, with a grand parade and festivities in Chinatown on Sunday, February 16 at 1pm.

The parade will start in Little Italy and travel through the streets of Chinatown before ending at Roosevelt Park with an expected attendance of more than 25,000 people.

Spectators can expect traditional lion dances, cultural music performances, and more.

New York Assemblywoman Grace Lee emphasized the inclusive nature of the celebration.

“To make sure that this holiday is something that not only Asian Americans can celebrate, but something all of our friends and neighbors can celebrate together,” she said. 

“This is a time-honored family holiday to welcome good fortune and a long, healthy life, and to make lots of noise to scare away a legendary sea monster that would bring the opposite of that.”

While Chinatown remains a focal point, celebrations will extend across the city with traditional performances, markets, and events planned throughout Queens, Brooklyn, and other boroughs.

In a historic development, schools across America now recognize the Lunar New Year as a public holiday.

Governor Kathy Hochul noted, “This past week was the first time ever in the history of our state that children could get a day off school to celebrate the Lunar New Year holiday with their families and to continue embracing these great traditions.”

Like this, Lunar New Year is celebrated with different events not only in China but around the world. 

The Lunar New Year, known as Chunjeol in China, inspires celebrations worldwide.

In Chinese tradition, families thoroughly clean their homes to ward off bad spirits and hang red lanterns on their door knobs for good luck.

On the Lunar New Year’s Eve, families gather to make dumplings for fun, and at midnight, a large fireworks display and firecrackers are set off to usher in good fortune.

Adults hand out red envelopes (hóngbāo) filled with money to children as blessings. 

The celebration concludes with the Lantern Festival, featuring traditional foods and festivities.

Koreans celebrate the Lunar New Year in similar ways to China.

Children honor elders with a traditional bow and receive monetary gifts.

Families unite for a special holiday meal, particularly Tteokguk, a soup believed to grant an additional year of life to those who consume it.

The holiday also features traditional games like yutnori and kite flying, strengthening family bonds. 

Another country that celebrates the Lunar New year is Vietnam.

Vietnam only celebrates it briefly for 3~7 days, but holds equal significance. .

Families honor ancestors and decorate their houses with red ornaments for good luck. 

The Vietnamese place particular importance on the first guest of the new year, believing they influence the household’s luck throughout the year. 

Following Chinese tradition, adults distribute money-filled envelopes to children.

Celebrations conclude with holiday dishes prepared with rice, pork, and green beans.

While these three nations share common threads in their Lunar New Year celebrations - ancestral reverence, family gatherings, monetary gifts, and traditional feasts - each country’s unique customs reflect its distinct cultural heritage.

The Lunar New Year transcends its role as a mere holiday, embodying the rich historical and cultural tapestry of each celebrating nation.