New York City Celebrates the Year of the Tiger

Lunar New Year signifies the commencement of a new year revolving around the cycles of the moon. In Chinese tradition, this holiday is intended to honor heavenly deities and one’s ancestors, while also providing an occasion for family and tradition to unite. Each year the Lunar calendar is assigned an animal, which is said to impact the personality and demeanor of those born in that year. This year the Lunar calendar started on February 1st and celebrates the year of the Tiger, representing power, courage, and bravery. Celebrated by various countries worldwide, including China, Korea, Vietnam, Japan, and Mongolia, this year’s Lunar New Year launched a year of new adventures and risk-taking. 

Many Asian-Americans across New York City celebrated the 2022 Lunar New Year. The holiday allows for Asian-Americans to connect with their traditions and ancestors while embracing new customs in New York. Lunar New Year celebrations took place throughout the five boroughs and included the Chinese New Year Parade, a Lunar New Year Firecracker Ceremony, and special celebrations in Chinatown. Last year’s parade was canceled due to the Covid-19 pandemic, which heightened the excitement leading up to this year’s celebration. More than 6,000 people participated in the parade. On Lunar New Year, lion dancing is a common practice, as it is reserved for special occasions. A traditional dance that originates from martial arts, lion dancing is more than 2,000 years old and is said to bring good luck and prosperity. The Lunar New Year Firecracker Ceremony is hard to miss in the city as numerous firecrackers are launched to ward off evil spirits.

Furthermore, the exchange of red envelopes and eating of red food is believed to spread luck, since red is considered an auspicious color. To commence the new year, people eat various foods which signify certain positive attributes: whole fish represent abundance, large meats bring strength, poultry encourages unity, long noodles represent longevity, and dumplings portend wealth. According to legend, the more dumplings one eats, the more prosperous one’s year will be.

Covid-19 has had a significant impact on Lunar New Year celebrations over the past two years, especially in populous areas like New York City. Thus, Asian-owned businesses have predictably experienced a downturn in revenue. According to New York resident and local business owner Alice Liu, certain shops saw almost half their usual profits during the celebratory period this past year. Despite this, New Yorkers had much to look forward to, particularly the annual parade in Chinatown, an event which has stood for decades as a hallmark of the holiday. This year’s parade happened on February 1st. In addition, there were numerous performances at Hudson Yards and celebrations at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, among other local festivities. New Yorkers certainly experienced a dazzling return to tradition for one of the city’s treasured holidays.