Celebrated around the world, Lunar New Year is observed by over 2 billion annually. Lunar New Year, also called Spring Festival, is a celebration of the arrival of Spring and a time of renewal. It is sometimes referred to as Chinese New Year because of the many Chinese traditions that take place during the holiday, but others may know it as Tet (Vietnamese), Seollal (Korean), and more. This year, Lunar New Year begins on January 22 with the first new moon of the lunar calendar and ends on February 5th with the first full moon 15 days later. The official celebration dates of the holiday can vary by culture.
Lunar New Year is celebrated in many countries around the world, including China, Korea, Vietnam, India, and Malaysia. Each country has its own set of traditions and rituals. A common tradition is for this celebration to be a time for homecoming. During this time, many celebrate by reuniting with their loved ones. Families use this time to reconnect and celebrate in preparation for the new year. One of the most common traditions is to give out bright red envelopes filled with money. These envelopes symbolize good wishes and luck for the upcoming year. Another common tradition for Lunar New Year is cleaning your house before the New Year begins. This signifies starting off the New Year with a clean slate to clear out all the bad luck from the previous year. Traditional foods and decorations are also very common for the holidays. The most notable decoration is red and gold lanterns and banners. Lion dancers, firecrackers, and fireworks are also common and are meant to bring good luck and prosperity.
You can celebrate Lunar New Year by joining us for our celebration on Saturday, January 21, 2023 at the East Library and Recreation Center and by checking out items from our collection that will tell you more about this holiday.
Check out a curated booklist from our librarians that highlight Lunar New Year and the values that it represents, like homecoming and family.
Board Books:
Baby Loves Lunar Phases on Chinese New Year! by Ruth Spiro
Happy Chinese New Year! A Festive Counting Story by Jannie Ho
Children:
Playing With Lanterns by Yage Wang
Tết Together by Alice Trinh
Ruby's Chinese New Year by Vickie Lee
Teen:
The Astonishing Color of After by Emily X.R. Pan
The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea by Axie Oh
Six Crimson Cranes by Elizabeth Lim
The Noh Family by Grace K. Shim
A Pho Love Story by Loan Le
Frankly in Love by David Yoon
Adult - by authors from countries that traditionally celebrate Lunar New Year:
Crying in H Mart: A Memoir by Michelle Zauner
Daughter of the Moon Goddess by Sue Lynn Tan
The Grace of Kings by Ken Liu
On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous : a novel by Ocean Voung
The Leavers by Lisa Ko
Interior Chinatown by Charles Yu
