Celebrating the Lunar New Year at GFS
By Zoe Schaedle ’22, Beier Nelson ’22, and Bill Yang ‘23
On Friday, February 12, we will ring in the Year of the Ox for Lunar New Year. In the twelve-animal Chinese zodiac, the ox is placed second. The story goes that the Jade emperor held a race to determine the order by which the animals would be placed (one animal per year and the cycle would repeat every 12 years). To finish the race, the animals had to cross a great river. The ox was set to win, but the rat hitched a ride on his back. After crossing the river, the rat hopped off and crossed the finish line first. While characteristics associated with the rat involve cunningness and ambition, common traits for the ox include honesty, a strong work ethic, trustworthiness, and a gentle demeanor. However, they are stubborn and hate to be challenged. It is said that people born in the year of the ox will share these traits.
GFS plans to celebrate the Lunar New Year, but not in the same way as in previous years. Due to the pandemic, we are not able to have the massive celebration in Hargroves. Instead, we are planning a spectacular assembly on Friday, February 12, where students, staff, parents, and families are invited to attend. One focus of the assembly is the question: What does Lunar New Year mean to you and your family? Below are some of our responses to this question.
Upon being asked if I celebrate the Lunar New Year, I had to think about it for a second. I don’t exactly celebrate Chinese New Year in the traditional sense — yes, we have a Kitchen God statue that my dad always brings up with an air of self satisfaction. He picked it out himself in Chinatown a few years back and he seems very proud of it, but we don’t have a big family get together or even a party for that matter. We did have one a few years back, in which we decided to buy paper lanterns to send off into the night. Pretty festive and picturesque right? Well not when they snag on branches and burst into flames, and you have to stand there in the cold praying that the trees won’t catch fire (yes, trees plural, unfortunately). So yes, we do celebrate Chinese New Year in our own, slightly clueless, American way, whether it means celebrating with friends, or even just ordering takeout at home for a cozy night in. However, even if it’s just a low-key event, we always acknowledge its cultural importance.
I’m adopted, and the Lunar New Year has always been a way to celebrate and connect with my Asian heritage. My parents have always tried to subtly expose me to different aspects of my Chinese identity. They’ve never really tried to educate me, as they feel it’s not their place, which is understandable since they are U.S. born-and-raised citizens. Nevertheless, I’ve been influenced by my Chinese heritage to varying small degrees all my life. For example, my parents made sure to keep part of my Chinese name “Huan” in my middle name. They also got me Chinese lessons when I was young in the hopes that I would pick up Mandarin. Emphasis on “hopes” because sadly nothing ever came of that. Whether it was keeping a piece of my Chinese identity in my name, or simply introducing me to Mulan (she is the coolest Disney Princess), my parents have subtly and consistently reminded me of the Asian half of my identity all my life. And for that I’m grateful.
Though an incredible excuse to party and eat lots of really good Chinese food, the Lunar New Year holds cultural significance to me as well. It’s a way for me to connect to the Asian part of my identity as I am engulfed in White-American culture most of the time. Due to our current circumstances, I’m sure we will just get takeout to celebrate this year. Luckily COVID won’t really affect how my family celebrates but I can imagine how it would for others. The virus has been physically and emotionally isolating, but I hope that the holiday can bring some sense of community and collective identity to all those who celebrate.
— Zoe Schaedle ’22
Lunar New Year has always been a time for me to reconnect with my culture and identity. I am Chinese-American, born in China but moved to the U.S when I was very little. Each Lunar New Year, my extended family back in China throws a great celebration — going to restaurants every night, gathering around large round tables full of joyful chatter and delicious food. Looking at the pictures they’ve taken, I long to be there with them. Back here, my mother and I have our own celebration. We wear red and make dumplings on the eve of the holiday. We eat fish to symbolize a healthy and long life ahead of us. During this time, I often reflect on what it means to be Chinese-American and how these traditions allow me to take a step back from the world and explore an aspect of myself that I normally don’t think about. We are in a special time, however, with COVID taking over the world. Last year my extended family was not able to gather like they used to because of the strict lockdown in China. This year, the wonderful Lunar New Year’s celebration at GFS will not happen because of restrictions. From all of this, these times have taught me to be closer to the ones I love. Though separated by long distances, I still try to connect with my extended family, calling my cousin and grandmother when I have time. However busy we are during other times of the year, we always spend this holiday together, despite being separated by half the world.
— Beier Nelson ’22
Most of my friends in America talk about what Thanksgiving and Christmas mean to them, but when it comes to dumplings, red envelopes, well wishes, and family reunions, I will always think of our very own “favorite day of the year” for my Asian fellows — the day of Lunar New Year. To be honest, Lunar New Year creates a sense of bonding for me with my culture in ways that, ironically, I didn’t realize, until I was far away from home. As a 16-year-old international student, who flew across the Pacific to study/stay in the strange land of America, there were many times that something rather small — it could be a WeChat message from a friend saying “Happy New Year” or even an “Adidas CNY commercial on the internet” — would trigger my homesickness and remind me of the memories of celebrating Lunar New Year with my family. These were quality times that I had taken for granted.
Both of my parents were immigrants to Beijing from Shandong. Before I went to high school in America, we would always drive to their hometown to meet with my extended family and celebrate the New Year by having a reunion dinner on the eve. However, I used to find no fun out of this “homecoming” (technically, it’s not even a homecoming for me). Growing up in Beijing, I found myself more adapted to the life of the metropolitan bustle, and my parents’ hometown apparently didn’t meet the criteria. New Year’s Eve became the only time that I felt like I was missing something; I missed my friends, the 24/7 SevenEleven stores, and the bright city lights. However, growing up happens when you want to go back in time and wish you could change things. During those homesick times in Philly, I couldn’t wish for anything else, but going back to China, to my parents’ hometown, and reliving the past days where I would decorate the house with paper cut-outs with my parents, taking little sips of beer with my uncle, and even helping my cousin with her math homework.
This year with COVID, everything has changed completely. I will be in Beijing with my parents on the eve of the New Year. I can’t help but think about how this could be the last time that I will be able to celebrate the New Year with my family until I graduate from college in America.
But what’s the point of worrying? Let’s party!
Seize the day! Cherish this New Year of 2021, so you won’t regret it in the future.今朝有酒今朝醉,明日愁来明日愁
新年快乐— Bill Hengzhi Yang ’23
We are currently living through trying times and many people may feel isolated from their family, friends, and community. The spirit of Lunar New Year is to bring people together, to clear out the old, and to welcome the new. It doesn’t matter if we are gathered in Hargroves or separated by a computer screen; let’s make Lunar New Year 2021 something to remember. Tune in on Friday, February 12, exact time TBD.
