To many families, tradition is important. Merriam Webster’s dictionary defines tradition as “an inherited, established, or customary pattern of thought, action, or behavior (such as a religious practice or a social custom)”. In my family, one important tradition we have is to celebrate Lunar New Year on the second new moon after the winter solstice. At Mayfield Senior School, the tradition is also being celebrated by the many Asian American and Mandarin students here.

This year, we celebrate the year of the horse, which is the 7th animal in the Chinese zodiac. On social media, it’s being called “the year of the Malfoy”  because the character 妈 (mā) means horse, while 福( fú）means good fortune (which sounds similar to 马尔福 (Mǎ’ěrfú)→ Malfoy). Due to this, the Mandarin classroom is decorated with Draco Malfoy on it.

There are many traditions that Lunar New Year is celebrated. People often buy new clothes and wear red for good luck. Families reunite, and pass around red envelopes, or 红包。People refrain from cleaning or breaking things, getting angry with each other, as well as buying books as it is considered bad luck.

Another way in which Chinese New Year is celebrated is through eating dishes that bring prosperity and good luck. Some examples of foods that we often eat are chow mein, fish, and dumplings. At Mayfield Senior School, students enjoyed a potluck filled with all sorts of Chinese food organized by the Asian American & Pacific Islander community as well as Mandarin students. 

“It’s fun to see the diversity of the school through Chinese New Year,” Andrea Manale ‘29 said. “There’s lots of students in the Asian American community.” Even if you aren’t Asian, you can join in these traditions to understand the culture a little more. Some ways that you can join the festivities are through watching dragon dances, going for a little bit of new year shopping, or by setting off some firecrackers/fireworks for good luck. There are many opportunities out there, so go ahead and explore!