Although I’ve been at university for three years now, this was my first year not spending the Lunar New Year with my family. While I was studying in the U.S., I was able to take a train home for the weekend of Lunar New Year to indulge in some home-cooked food and receive the traditional red envelopes, even if it was not on the actual day. Coming from a melting pot like New York, there were always events I could attend to feel festive for the holiday, so I had high standards for what a good Lunar New Year celebration would look like. London did not disappoint!
In Chinese culture, the night before Lunar New Year means having a big meal with family. There are certain foods which are symbolic and a must-have at the table, like fish and dumplings, but modern tradition also means that hotpot is also a popular and delicious option. The word for fish in Chinese sounds like the word for plenty, so having a fish dish at the dinner table symbolises that your family will enjoy abundance in the upcoming year. This year, my Lunar New Year’s Eve meal was with friends, and I had a delicious dry hotpot (with fish included, of course). Making a reservation at restaurants ahead of time is a must because many places were booked and busy. The next day I had dumplings, which are also important culturally to symbolise prosperity because their shape looks like gold ingots.
On the first day of the new year, there were lion dances in Chinatown. I actually did not know these were occurring ahead of time, but I was walking past Chinatown and got to see many different coloured lions paying respects to stores in Chinatown. The traditional drums, gongs, and cymbals creating music accompanying the dance is meant to ward off evil spirits, and storefronts often hung a lettuce head to the top of their doors that the lion would pretend to eat (meaning the dancer inside the lion costume would rip it up and throw it into the crowd). The lettuce is also meant to symbolise wealth, and the process of fake eating it is to bless the business owners and audience with prosperity. The dance was an unexpected event that I thoroughly enjoyed, and would recommend anyone to attend.
LSE Halls also had a celebration with Asian food on Lunar New Year’s eve, and High Holborn was decked out in festive red décor. The hall gave out fortune cookies throughout the weekend as well, which was a nice sweet treat. An event I did not attend but seemed fun was the Tate Late at the Tate Britain Museum, which was a free Lunar New Year themed party.
Overall, I was definitely able to make the most of Lunar New Year away from home. There are a multitude of options for celebrating cultural holidays in London, which is another reason why LSE’s location cannot be beaten.
