Dressed in pajamas in their Christmas-decorated homes, families count down the seconds until the end of the year. As one year comes to an end and another begins, fireworks fill the sky with vibrant flashes.
This is often what comes to mind when picturing New Year’s in America, but it’s also worth remembering that there are other ways to celebrate the new year, here and across the world.
“I think all types of New Year festivals are fun and good in their own ways,” senior Alexandra Wu said. “Getting to experience both Vietnamese and Western New Year’s is like having a party twice and I just adore how different they are.”
Before Vietnamese New Year’s, also known as Tết, Wu cleans her house as a symbol of getting rid of things from the previous year and starting anew. Vietnamese families invite a cheerful first guest during the new year in a tradition known as Xông đất.
People also hang up decorations on the wall and pray to their ancestors to celebrate. During Tết, similarly to Chinese New Year, adults pass red envelopes containing money to children to promote longevity and luck.
“The festivals and temples celebrate it with firecrackers and everything,” Wu said. “Everything is just so fast paced and up-beat.”
Another set of cultures with a different New Year’s celebration comes from India. Different regions in India celebrate it on different days, which can range from March to December. People send gifts to each other and visit Hindu Temples.
“I enjoy the great food and help create art decoration for the celebration,” junior Sulekha Kishore said. “Our family often gets invited to a potluck dinner with friends as well.”
Kishore and her family celebrate Ugadi, which usually falls in March. Unique activities include creating rangolis or kolamulus, which are art patterns made from powdered clay or colored sand, and eating traditional Indian sweets such as Mysore pak, Laadu or Payasam.
For Chinese New Year, many people not only have a plentiful feast, but also watch expressive dragon dancing and place calligraphy characters of good fortune around the house.
“I think that holidays like Chinese New Year’s bring families together, which is why I love the holidays so much,” sophomore Michelle Nguyen said. “Moments like these don’t last forever.”
TCHS School Newspaper