5 things to know about the Lunar New Year

The Year of the Monkey swings onto the calendar on Feb. 8.

For 15 days, the Chinese or Lunar New Year will herald fresh starts, clean homes and good food.

We spoke with Patsy Lee, who has been with the Tucson Chinese Cultural Center for about 10 years. Lee, who grew up in Tucson, has fond memories of the celebration, which she compares to Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s combined.

Based on our conversation with her, here are five fun facts about Chinese New Year.

1. It has another name.

“It’s also called the Lunar New Year, because a lot of Asian groups do celebrate it,” Lee said. Spring Festival is another common name for the celebration.

This year, the Tucson Chinese Cultural Center is expanding its programming to include performances by other local ethnic groups in anticipation of hosting a Smithsonian exhibit in March about the experiences and history of Asian Pacific Americans.

2. Come for the food.

This year, the Tucson Chinese Cultural Center will sell traditional dishes such as sesame chicken, egg rolls and noodles.

“Chicken is always served at Chinese New Year,” Lee said. “It’s the good luck meat product.”

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Lee remembers showing up to school during Chinese New Year with noodles instead of cafeteria food for lunch. Long noodles symbolize longevity.

3. Clean house.

The Lunar New Year, which is based on the Chinese lunisolar calendar, means starting over.

“We clean the house and try to pay all the bills because you don’t want to start the new year owing money,” Lee said.

Families clean in advance, because during the celebration, the broom stays tucked away. “You don’t use the broom because you don’t want to sweep away good luck,” Lee said.

4. Make a noise.

Part of the celebration includes fireworks and the Lion Dance. Both are intended to scare away evil spirits and protect families, Lee said.

5. Year of the Monkey.

Individuals born this year are said to be personable and clever.

The monkey is the ninth animal in Chinese zodiac. Those born in the Year of the Monkey include Leonardo da Vinci, Eleanor Roosevelt, Charles Dickens and George Lucas.