Junior School students canoeing during a school trip.

York School News

5(ISH) WAYS TO CELEBRATE LUNAR NEW YEAR

1/31/2022

Lauren C.

Through performances, food, art and more, student Lauren C. gives us 5(ish) ways that we can celebrate the Lunar New Year.

Hey York!

Lunar New Year is coming up! Even during a pandemic this celebration shines through as an important event for families around the world to bond. Here are 5(ish) things you can do this month to celebrate Lunar New Year:

1. On Saturday, February 5th, Toronto Chinatown will be hosting celebrations including a live Lion Dance performance and a Keepsake video, a virtual event showcasing many traditions and other performances. Check out more on this website!

2. blogTO shares 10 restaurants with special Lunar New Year deals and dishes in this post. One of the most beloved features of Lunar New Year is all the exclusive and delicious foods made during this time. Eating cuisine associated with this holiday is a great way for people who celebrate traditionally and those who don’t to participate in festivities! I highly recommend Congee Queen, one of my absolute favorite restaurants!

3. A little out of Toronto is the Varley Art Gallery of Markham. Exploring the theme of Stronger, Together, Indigenous artists connect Indigenous and Asian cultures through decorative lantern pieces. View more of this exhibition here.

4. Check out York’s Celebrating Lunar New Year Slide Deck! On it you’ll learn more about different February Lunar New Year celebrations. From greetings, to traditions, clothing, and food, the slide deck is a great starting point in exploring different Lunar New Year practices.

5. Finally, spend time with your family! In many Lunar New Year celebrations, family reunions are one of the most important traditions. Sit down for a family dinner or call relatives and loved ones! It’s often too easy to not talk to distant relatives and this is a great reason to change that. In the past, my family’s Chinese New Year dinner was the time I got to see my extended family and catch up on the past year while ushering in good fortune for the next.

There are so many more events and things you can do to celebrate and acknowledge Lunar New Year. Simply search up “Lunar New Year events in Toronto” or “Lunar New Year Myths” for even more activities and educational opportunities.

On Tuesday, February 1st wear red tops and accessories with uniform bottoms for our casual day! Wearing traditional clothing is welcome if that is part of your Lunar New Year celebrations as well! I would like to end this article with a reminder to always be respectful of other people’s cultures and heritage. We encourage non-traditional celebrators to be active in our Lunar New Year celebrations while remembering to amplify and provide the spotlight for traditional celebrators to share their culture in a way that is comfortable. Xīn nián kuài lè (Happy New Year)!

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About the York School

The York School is a gender-inclusive JK to Grade 12 independent school located in the heart of Toronto. The York School was founded in 1965 and is the first English speaking school in Canada accredited to offer the International Baccalaureate (IB) from junior kindergarten (JK) to university entrance. As an IB World School, The York School's motto is Experience Teaches.