Join Anser as we celebrate the birth of a new lunar year and reflect on the importance of diversity within our communities and workplaces. Wishing everyone a healthy and prosperous new year!
About Lunar New Year
Lunar New Year is a celebration of the new year according to the lunar calendar. Celebrations begin on the first day of the lunar calendar (first new moon of the year) and continue until the 15th of the first lunar month (first full moon of the year). This year, celebrations begin on February 12. The holiday, also referred to as the “Spring Festival” or “Chinese New Year”, is celebrated in China and other Asian countries. Each year is assigned an animal from the 12 animals of the Chinese zodiac — 2021 is the year of the Ox, who is said to be hardworking, intelligent, and honest. One tradition of the holiday is cleaning (or “sweeping”) the house about ten days before the beginning of the new year in order to remove bad luck or inauspiciousness beforehand. During the holiday celebration, red is a very integral part of the festivities as a representation of good luck, and it is customary to receive red envelopes with small amounts of money from family members. Additionally, enjoying fireworks is common practice. These customs have evolved from the legend of a sea monster named Nián, who was believed to eat humans, but was afraid of the color red and of loud noises. Take a moment and self-reflect by asking yourself the questions below.
Self Reflection Questions:
- The characteristics of the Ox in the Chinese zodiac are hardworking, intelligent and honest. What might that represent for 2021?
- In what ways have you experienced good fortune in the last year? In what ways do you hope to experience good fortune in the upcoming year?