This year, Sacred Heart Greenwich celebrates the Lunar New Year, which begins on the second new moon after the winter solstice February 17 and ends 15 days later on the full moon March 3. People across China and throughout Asia celebrate the holiday with colorful lanterns, traditional foods, and ceremonies honoring ancestors, according to britannica.com. This year, the Lunar New Year coincides with a rare celestial event, a “ring of fire” annular solar eclipse that will occur during the same new moon that marks the start of the holiday, according to forbes.com.
The Lunar New Year follows a cycle of 12 Chinese zodiac animals: the rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, goat, monkey, rooster, dog, and pig. The Chinese zodiac names each year after one of the animals, according to chinahighlights.com. Ancient legends in Chinese culture say that the Jade Emperor created the zodiac to measure time and named each year after an animal. The Emperor organized a race between the animals to determine the order of the zodiac, according to stokemuseums.org. Multiple Asian countries, including North Korea, South Korea, Cambodia, and Singapore have adopted the Chinese zodiac, according to britannica.com. 2026 is not just the Year of the Horse, but it is also the year of the Fire Horse. The Fire Horse year last occurred in 1996, and will not happen again until 2086, making it a rare event, according to forbes.com.
The annular solar eclipse will create a “ring of fire” effect and remain visible for over two minutes from parts of Antarctica February 17. Two weeks later, observers in North America will see a total lunar eclipse. The “ring of fire” annular solar eclipse signals the beginning of the Lunar New Year since it comes from the new moon, according to forbes.com.
Lunar New Year has numerous traditions and celebrations to end the old year and invite good luck and prosperity into the new year. In order to clear away bad luck, people clean their homes before the Lunar New Year. To celebrate, people visit family members and cook traditional foods such as yuanxiao, fagao, yusheng, and dumplings. Some families also prepare and enjoy special dishes on certain days of the celebration, according to britannica.com.
Children traditionally receive colorful red envelopes filled with new money. Many traditions focus on honoring ancestors, based on the belief that they continue to influence the lives of their descendants. By showing respect and gratitude, families seek to receive their ancestors’ blessings, guidance, and protection.
The final celebration in the Lunar New Year is the Lantern Festival. During the festival, people visit temples and hang glowing lanterns. They also carry them during nighttime parades. The Dragon Dance, a festive ritual, features multiple dancers carrying a bright dragon through the streets, according to britannica.com. Mrs. Julie Zhu, Upper School Chinese Teacher, shared her favorite Lunar New Year tradition.
“I first learned to make dumplings from scratch with my grandmother when I was around nine or ten years old,” Mrs. Zhu said. “She taught me how to make the dumpling wrappers from scratch and roll the wrappers to the perfect fondness and thickness before you can put the stuffing in the middle. It probably took me five or six years to perfect. Now I’m happy to make Chinese dumplings with my students.”
To celebrate the beginning of Lunar New Year, Sacred Heart Greenwich had its an annual all-school celebration February 17. The school hosted four students from the Wu Dan Kong Fu Academy. All the students are United States (US) National Kung Fu Team members and award-winning champions in national and international competitions.
In Mrs. Zhu’s Chinese class, she teaches an entire unit on the Lunar New Year. The class is currently learning the art of writing chunlian. With calligraphy brushes, students write wishes for luck and prosperity on red paper, which hang on the Chinese classroom’s door. The Chinese classes traveled to Chinatown in Flushing, New York for their annual trip February 10. There, they participated in calligraphy workshops, and traditional face painting. Students will visit The Greens at Greenwich, where they will share Chinese songs and write couplets with calligraphy brushes for the residents to display on their doors February 25. Mrs. Zhu explained the significance of Lunar New Year with the “Three R’s.”
“I believe the ‘Three R’s’ perfectly capture the soul of this holiday,” Mrs. Zhu said. “The first R, renewal, is the wish for a new beginning, the second R, reunion, is the reunion dinner with family, and the third R, rejoice, is celebrating and hoping for a prosperous new year. 祝大家马年吉祥，心想事成! Wishing everyone an auspicious Year of the Horse, may all your wishes come true!”
Featured Image by Gabrielle Arredondo ’27
