The first day of February marks the beginning of Lunar New Year. Those who celebrate the holiday begin the new year with refreshing hopes for prosperity in the upcoming year as well as health and happiness. This year Orange County hosts a wide variety of events to celebrate the new year.
Lunar New Year is typically celebrated by individuals of Vietnamese, Mongolian, Chinese, Korean, Singaporean, Tibetan and others of East Asian descent.
It also marks the beginning of a new calendar year whose months are based on moon cycles. Each year features one of the 12 zodiac animals which rotate annually. It is believed that the order of the animals derived from the story of the Great Race where one of the most important Gods in Chinese tradition, Jade Emperor, invited a series of animals to compete. Those who showed up were the Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog and Pig.
As their reward, the Jade Emperor named the years after the animals in the order they finished the race, as listed above with Rat being first and Pig being last.
On Saturday, Feb.1, 2021, the Year of the Ox concluded and the 2022 Year of the Tiger commenced.
“The tiger embodies courage and bravery, so the new year could symbolize resilience and strength- even in times of struggle,” scholar Jonathan H.X Lee, a professor at San Francisco State University with a focus on Asian and Asian American religions and folklore, said to NBC Asian America.
Amid the Omicron surge, the new year may symbolize strength throughout this ongoing pandemic.
At the Asian Garden Mall, in Little Saigon, residents come together to prepare for its annual Little Saigon Tet parade. The term Tet is short for spring festival, Tet Nguyen Dan or Vietnamese Lunar New Year. Which is one of the most important celebrations among Vietnamese communities.
Usually the mall is a hot spot for vendors and food stands that sell a wide variety of Vietnamese foods and drinks on the weekends during the summer months.
The event is highly anticipated and is one of the largest and most watched events in Vietnamese communities worldwide.
Due to the high volume of individuals congregating to celebrate, the organizers of the event, the Vietnamese American Federation of Southern California, released their safety plan in efforts to remain compliant with the state health department. The safety plan included masks policies and social distancing.
Another event is the Orange County’s 2022 Tet Lunar New Year festival, which took place between Feb. 4 to Feb. 6. The event featured live entertainment, a firecracker ceremony, carnival rides, cultural performances, lion dancers and food vendors.
Those in Little Saigon aren’t the only ones wishing for health, luck and prosperity in this New Year. From Jan. 21 to Feb.13, Disneyland will be celebrating the Lunar New Year at California Adventure. Every day the event will begin with Mulan’s Lunar New Year Procession which will fill the streets with traditional dances and music.
The event will also include commemorative merchandise, innovative menus that illuminate Asian cuisine, live entertainment, festive decor and more.
Whether one chooses to celebrate the new year at home with family, or at a lively event, OC offers many events every year to commemorate the opportunities and fresh start that the new year will bring.
Alexia Hawley is a City News Intern for the winter 2022 quarter. She can be reached at adhawley@uci.edu.
