The Chinese Lunar New Year

There wasn’t much variety in the news on Tuesday night. Almost everything was about Barack Obama’s inauguration as the 44th President of the United States. But no, I am not going to write about Obama’s inauguration. I’m sure it’s going to be the favorite topic among opinion writers for the next several days so I’ll leave the Obama mania to them. American Presidents have a four-year shelf life—eight, if they’re lucky—and I’d really rather write about something longer lasting. Culture—Asian culture—and, in particular, the Lunar New Year, the 15-day festival that starts on the first day and ends on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month.

Monday, Jan. 26, is the start of the Lunar New Year. It is also my younger daughter’s 15th birthday. She’s thrilled beyond words—it’s almost as though Asia and Asians will be lighting fireworks and performing dragon dances to celebrate her special day. She asked if the Lunar New Year falls on her birthday every year and I told her no. She looked a bit crestfallen but that’s how it is. The date of the Lunar New Year changes from one year to the next.