Holidays Around the World: Lunar New Year

the Lunar New Year is one of the most important holidays in East and Southeast Asia, where it is commonly known as the Spring Festival. People celebrate the end of winter and a new beginning by cleaning their houses, having big family reunion dinners, giving gifts, and lighting firecrackers.
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words only definitions & notes
  1. abundance
    the property of a more than adequate quantity or supply
    Now, I see an abundance of options, from persimmon pudding, to jam, to roasted and combined with pancetta, risotto and goat cheese. Salon (Dec 27, 2020)
    Many of the symbols and rituals surrounding the New Year are meant to attract good fortune and wealth. Abundance means "a lot" or "plenty." It comes from the Latin abundantia, meaning "overflow" or "wealth."
  2. calendar
    a system of timekeeping that defines divisions of the year
    I mark off every day on the calendar. Before We Were Free
  3. couplet
    a stanza consisting of two successive lines of verse
    Her final couplet, often quoted, asks the reader: "Tell me, what is it you plan to do / with your one wild and precious life?" BBC (Jan 17, 2019)
    Short, two-line poems known as couplets, often painted on red paper, are part of the decorations in many houses.
  4. envelope
    a flat container for a letter or thin package
    She put her house key into the envelope and sealed it. Homecoming
    Money is a common Chinese New Year gift, which is often presented in a red envelope, since red is the color of good luck.
  5. festival
    an organized series of acts and performances
    “I still need lots of help on my costume. It’s for the fall festival—and for extra credit.” Merci Suárez Changes Gears
  6. fortune
    your overall circumstances or condition in life
    Long, long ago, there lived a most honorable man who owed much of his good fortune to the kindness of his friend. In the Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson
  7. lantern
    a light in a transparent protective case
    Footpaths are lined with Japanese-style vintage lanterns, and plants such as azaleas, bamboo, camellias and star magnolias. Washington Times (Jan 12, 2021)
  8. longevity
    the property of having lived for a considerable time
    She attributes her longevity to her parents’ own long lives and a secret she shares: “Eat fruit every day.” Seattle Times (Jan 2, 2021)
    Besides financial success, many New Year's wishes also include hopes for a long, happy life. longevity comes from longaevitas, which literally means "long life" in Latin.
  9. lunar
    of or relating to or associated with the moon
    Using the radar to map the lunar surface, they helped NASA’s Apollo program select landing sites for the moon-bound astronauts. National Geographic (Jan 11, 2021)
    The lunar calendar is based on the 28-day cycle of the moon. Outside of Asia, many other cultures also use the lunar calendar, including India and the Jewish and Islamic religions.
  10. mythical
    based on or told of in traditional stories
    And so, a superstar was born: the mythical hero, hunter, and Indian fighter. An Indigenous People’s History of the United States
  11. phase
    a particular point in the time of a cycle
    As a result, the moon will transform from a dark gray color during the partial phase of the eclipse to a reddish-orange color during totality. National Geographic (Dec 29, 2020)
  12. prosperity
    the condition of having good fortune
    The first year of their marriage was marked by uncommon prosperity and joy, but it was also their last. Ash
    The Mandarin greeting of "Gong Xi Fa Cai" roughly translates to "Congratulations and be prosperous." Prosperity is success, especially regarding financial matters. Prosper is Latin for "successful" or "favorable."
  13. reunion
    the act of coming together again
    She opens the family reunion photos and the obituary, saved on her desktop, and places the laptop in Vivian’s lap. Orphan Train
    Many people celebrate New Year's Eve with a big reunion dinner, inviting family members to a feast.
  14. wonton
    a Chinese dumpling, often filled with spiced minced pork
    The wonton soup smells wonderful with delicate sprigs of cilantro floating on top. The Joy Luck Club
    Dumplings like wontons, known as jiaozi, are a traditional New Year's Eve treat in Northern China.
  15. zodiac
    a circular diagram representing the 12 constellations
    It takes 60 years to cycle through the Chinese zodiac calendar. Seattle Times (Oct 3, 2020)
    The Chinese zodiac is made up of twelve animals: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Sheep, Monkey, Rooster, Dog and Pig. Each year is associated with an animal, and the cycle repeats every twelve years. Each animal supposedly confers certain attribute on people who are born under that sign.
Created on Mon Dec 07 14:35:38 EST 2020 (updated Tue Jan 26 16:08:14 EST 2021)

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