2008 Woodie Awards
Chinese New Year celebration includes family, fireworks
Sharon Kolbet
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Break out the noisemakers - for today begins another new year.
While followers of the Gregorian calendar start their new year on Jan. 1, cultures that follow the Chinese lunar calendar officially begin the new year on Jan. 24.
"This is the biggest holiday in China," University of Nebraska-Lincoln student Kun Lu said.
Lu, president of the Chinese Students and Scholars Association, helped organize the upcoming Chinese New Year celebration to be held Saturday in the Nebraska Union Centennial Ballroom.
"In China, the holiday is about family," Lu said. "Most people spend the evening with relatives, and then at midnight they go outside for fireworks."
This year in addition to the traditional dinner and performances, the student organization has added fireworks to its schedule of events.
Lu said after the festivities in the Nebraska Union, the attendees will travel to 17th and Vine streets for a fireworks show.
The UNL celebration has grown over the years.
With the help of increased advertising and a new Chinese radio show on KZUM-FM, Lu said the 600 tickets that went on sale last Tuesday sold out in a mere 10 hours.
Only a few tickets remain for people who want to attend the event, Lu said. For tickets, people should call 742-5260.
While known to most Americans as the Chinese New Year, Le Nguyen, president of Lincoln's Asian Caucus, said the event is celebrated as the Lunar New Year by other Asian cultures.
"Vietnamese, Japanese and Koreans also celebrate this day," Nguyen said.
Growing up in a Vietnamese family, Nguyen said her Lunar New Year festivities have centered on family.
"It is three days of celebration," she said. "We visit family, make food to place on the altar and receive lucky money from relatives."
Nguyen said the Asian Caucus has scheduled a Friday Lunar New Year program at the F Street Recreation Center, 930 S. 13th St. The event, which runs from 5 to 7 p.m., will feature a traditional lion dance, Vietnamese food and a costume fashion show.
Nguyen said like other Asian cultures, the Vietnamese tradition follows the 12-phase Chinese zodiac.
In the Chinese zodiac each new year corresponds to one of 12 animal characters, as well as one of the five elements (water, fire, wood, metal and earth).
For those who want to celebrate the new year, today is the day to say good-bye to the metal dragon and hello to the metal snake.