The Chinese calendar is a combination of both solar and lunar phases, which is why the date changes year to year. This year, Chinese New Year starts with the new moon on the first day of the new year on Saturday, January 28. It ends on the full moon 15 days later, which is celebrated with a Lantern Festival that takes place at night.
Chinese New Year is the most important celebration of the year for the Chinese. Homes are cleaned to remove the “huì qì,” or bad luck, that has gathered over the last year. Firecrackers are set up to scare evil spirits, but most important is the feasting. On New Year’s Eve, the extended family gathers for a meal, with the last course being fish, meant to symbolize abundance and is not to be eaten. Long noodles are eaten the first five days of the New Year, symbolizing a long life, and round dumplings, shaped like the full moon, are shared as a sign of the family and perfection on the final day of this celebration.
Why not celebrate Chinese New Year with your class by choosing a song or creating an entire profile from our Chinese New Year playlist? There’s close to 3 hours’ worth of songs to choose from.
If you have additional song suggestions or your own Chinese New Year profile that you’re willing to share, we’d love to hear from you.