NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — People across the world are getting ready to celebrate the Lunar New Year. The holiday is officially on February 1 and is all about hope, family and tradition.
The Greater Nashville Chinese Association held its virtual celebration, live with prerecorded performances to celebrate what their president called the happiest event of the year.
The holiday is called the Lunar New Year, but it can go by other names like the Chinese New Year. Officials with GNCA said the celebration starts the night before, similar to New Year's Eve, and then goes on for 15 days with each day having a different meaning. Their holiday also comes with a lot of tradition.
The red pocket is a big one. They are little red envelopes that usually have money inside. Christine Lai, president of GNCA, said it is a gift given by seniors to kids like your parents and grandparents.
Lai said to celebrate, either on the Chinese New Year or the night before, have a good quality dinner with family, forget about the worry and think of it as, "tomorrow you will celebrate and look forward to a better year."
"Just center around family, reach out and be positive and hope for [a] better future, better tomorrow because tomorrow is the Chinese New Year," Lai said.
On Monday, the Korean Veterans Memorial Bridge will be lit red and gold to welcome the year of the tiger.
