Cleveland State community celebrates Lunar New Year

In between games, guests enjoyed Asian-style foods including orange chicken, fried rice and dumplings.

Students played games, including one called Chopstick Master. In this game, the participants had 30 seconds to transfer as many balls into a cup with chopsticks.

Students played games, including one called Chopstick Master. In this game, the participants, using chopsticks, had 30 seconds to transfer as many balls as possible into a cup.

Students attending the CISP’s Lunar New Year gathered for the red envelope cutting, played games and enjoyed Asian-style foods on Feb. 8, 2024.

Students attending CSU's Lunar New Year celebration prepared red envelope, a tradition associated with good fortune for the coming lunar year.

By JORDAN SHELTON - posted February 16, 2024

The Cleveland State community on Feb. 8 celebrated Lunar New Year, ahead of the first day of the new lunar year, which this year fell on Feb. 10.

Lunar New Year is celebrated in many Asian countries and among diaspora communities. It’s an annual 15-day festival that begins with the first new moon of the lunar year, which can fall between Jan. 21 and Feb. 20. Traditionally, the Lunar New Year celebration honors household deities and ancestors. This year the first day of the new lunar year was Feb. 10, 2024.

CSU's Center for International Services and Programs (CISP) hosted this year's celebration, which was held in the CISP student lounge.

Community members attending the event engaged in activities, including the preparation of red envelopes, a tradition symbolizing good luck. CISP's treasurer, Huaying Wang, was the event's coordinator.

“When the new year comes, the parents or grandparents put money in red envelopes and give them to children,” Wang said, explaining some of the customs associated with the celebration. “This is to wish them a good coming new year.”

Students also played games, including one called Chopstick Master. In this game, using chopsticks participants had 30 seconds to transfer as many balls into a cup. In between games, guests enjoyed Asian-style foods including orange chicken, fried rice and dumplings.