Which one? This month there are two new years. We already celebrated one but the next one is on January 29th. For those of you who haven't already guessed, it's Chinese or Lunar New Year. This holiday is celebrated all over the world, including in the United States.
When I was teaching in my library classes, I loved doing Chinese New Year with my third grade classes. I began by reading Lion Dancer; Ernie Wan's Chinese New Year. Then I would die a sheet red, the kids would make their own Chinese lion or dragon masks. Large ones were painted and glittered to go with the sheets. Drums were made from coffee cans, painted with colorful designs. I also went down to the Asian markets in Chattanooga and bought chopsticks to give to the kids. (I was in a couple of schools that didn't have a huge number of students). Then we would parade through the halls banging on our drums with the Chinese lions following.
This is the year of the snake. The Chinese Zodiac is twelve years long, with each year represented by a different animal. The festivities usually last fifteen or sixteen days, during which time, families clean their homes to invite good spirits and good luck. On the first day everyone in the family wears new clothes. There are red envelopes with money or gifts, as red is a good luck color. Families get together to enjoy meals, remember their ancestors, and attend parades and fireworks shows.
Do you have New Year's celebrations near where you live? If you do, you should attend some of the festivities.