The Lunar New Year

What parts of my culture have been lost since I came to United States? I would say it is Chinese Lunar New Year because it is not just only a part of my culture, but a great occasion for all Chinese people. The Lunar New Year is a symbol of my own country. The Lunar New Year is also called Spring Festival. It usually comes in late January or early February. I spent my past eighteen years celebrating Lunar New Year in China, but since I came to U.S, this celebration has disappeared. The most significant aspects of the Lunar New Year that I yearn for in the U.S are the atmosphere of Spring Festival, New Year’s Eve celebration, and family connection in the Third day of Lunar New Year.


The atmosphere of Spring Festival is very lively
in China, but I cannot embrace it in the US.
Even though there is a Chinatown area in Chicago,v there is no one who posts the red Spring Festival couplets on the two sides and top of the door, stick the New Year’s painting on the door or windows, or hangs the colorful lanterns at the door. In China, every family does those customs a few days before the Lunar New Year becausethose parts of Chinese traditional customs will bring good luck to the family. Also, in Chicago there is no temple for burning incense or offering up a sacrifice to the Buddha before the Lunar New Year. In my family, there is a red pocket which was asked from Buddha, and symbolize Buddha. My mother did go down on her knees in front of this red pocket, and say something to it without burning incense. It is totally different than when we were in China.

New Year’s Eve is the year of the biggest and meaningful dinner, which is full of happiness and expectation of New Year in China, but I have been really lost in the US. Since I came to Chicago, I have never had a New Year’s Eve with my parents because they work. The past two years, I spent New Year’s Eve with only my sister and brother, and we felt very lonely. We didn’t even feel any happiness. We all know New Year’s Eve is called a reunion day for a family because it is an opportunity for the people who work far away from their own house to back home for the reunion of family. It is very hard to embrace in US. I remember my mother told me, “American life is different than Chinese life. We need to work hard and support our family.” It is right because my parents work at a restaurant. We rarely have dinner together, needless to say New Year’s Eve. However, I really want to embrace it again one day in this new country.

An important activity during the Spring Festival is bainian, which means family connection. I did have to pay a New Year’s call to relatives in the US, but the phone call replaced that visit because all our relatives live far away from us. I did remember one time, when I was in China, there were many close relatives and distance relatives that visited my house in the same day, the Third day of Lunar New Year. My grandparents were very surprised and happy because they didn’t have a chance with all of relatives together since their children went to US. That scene was very warm. My grandparents’ expression showed they were very happy even though their children lived far away from them. In the United States, it is very hard to have this moment because of the wrong time and wrong place. I did make a phone call to my grandparents who live in China, to pay New Year call. My grandma cried because they were alone. There were no children or grandchildren around them. I know that visiting is more meaningful than a phone call.


Some parts of our own culture are very difficult to maintain in a new country. I think everyone who lives in a foreign country will miss the parts of their own culture that get lost. For me, yes I have lost my own culture. I am still yearning for the scene of The Lunar New Year. Festival atmosphere, New Year’s Eve, and New Year’s visit which is very hard to embrace for me in the US. I wish in some day I will go back to China to celebrate The Lunar New Year.