Lunar New Year/Spring Festival – The Basics
1. Lunar New Year is one of the most prominent holidays in East Asian communities, celebrated by many Asian cultures including Chinese, Vietnamese and Korean.
2. Lunar New Year is based on the cycles of the moon, making it a movable target which could range from late January to mid-February.
3. The Gregorian calendar, which is what Australia and the rest of the western world use is based on the solar cycle. It is also known as the Western calendar.
4. While Lunar New Year celebrations originate in China, each other country that celebrates it has incorporated characteristic rituals and celebrations that are indigenous to their regions, an are harmonious with their cultural history and geographical climate.
5. Although there are variations in celebrating Lunar New Year, the holiday is rooted in several common themes. The event represents an opportunity for renewal, spending time with family, paying respects to elders and community empowerment.
Chinese New Year (Xin Nian = 新年 = New Year)
6. The origins of this celebration are centuries old and vary from teller to teller, but they all include a story of a terrible mythical monster who preyed on villagers. The lion-like monster’s name was Nian (年) which is also the Chinese word for “year”.
7. The Stories all include a wise old man who advises the villagers to ward off evil Nian by making loud noises with drums and firecrackers and hanging red Continue Reading →
Out in the Open Festival
A big thank you to Waan and Lulu De Rose from 