Lunar New Year 2023 – the Year of the Rabbit

“Happy New Year!” That’s what we said to our hostess at Pao’s Chinese Restaurant on Sunday. The moment we said those words, her eyes brightened. She said: “Oh, I have something for you!” When she returned, she had red envelopes for each of us. She explained: “This is tradition!”

In my inquisitive manner, I had to google the red envelope and its contents. In Middle East countries (and here in America), Chinese families typically gather for feasting, fireworks, and gift-giving on their Lunar New Year’s (January 22nd, this year). The traditional gifts include red envelopes, usually stuffed with cash (ours included candy and a quarter).

The envelopes are red because the color brings prosperity in Chinese culture, while money symbolizes the hope for wealth and abundance. Throughout the festive season many will also wear red or hang up red-and-gold decorations, which also signify good fortune and prosperity.

This year, Lunar New Year’s marks the beginning of the Year of the Rabbit according to the Chinese zodiac, which assigns different animals to years over a 12-year cycle. The rabbit is associated with the moon in Chinese culture, perhaps because the shadows of the moon were once thought to represent a rabbit.

You might be asking: “Donna, where are you going with this blog today? We are Christians and we don’t celebrate Lunar New Year or the rabbit or giving red envelopes!” You are exactly right. We don’t. But we sure had a delicious Chinese meal and were appreciative to our hostess for her kindness. We honored her service with a good gratuity.

No, most Christians don’t hold to superstitious traditions or lunars or zodiacs that don’t line up with the Word of God, but we do let the Christian virtues of love, kindness, etc. flow through us.

We can learn and even hold to our Christian values while creating our own family traditions. The ending of an old year and the beginning of a new year gives us the opportunity to take inventory of our life. Self-examination follows the Lenten theme that we will experience in just a few weeks.

I always loved our New Year’s Eve celebration of recognizing God’s faithfulness throughout the previous year and making our Vision Board that included what we were believing for in the new year.

Chinese children are very important to the family, like ours are to us. That’s why the red envelopes create anticipation and excitement. Sort of reminds me of the tradition of hiding a newly detached tooth from a child and hiding it under their pillow. Jesus’ instruction, “Let the children come to me,” can serve as a reference in focusing on this theme for us. The past and the future are in the hands of the children.

That is why we share so many Bible stories with our children — of a boy named David annihilating a giant named Goliath; of a man named Noah who heard God’s voice and built a humongous boat aka ark and saved his family and animals 2×2 to replenish the earth.

The Chinese New Year’s festivities express hope and new life. Our Christian theme is that of Jesus Christ and with His life given for us, we have new life in Him. The slate is wiped clean and there is opportunity for new hope and to begin anew.

The practice of reflecting good will, kindness, and peace among neighbors in the Chinese New Year festival of ceremonial practices parallels our practices of goodwill, kindness, peace, honesty, purity, compassion, and respect for life and family bonds.

When I see those in other traditions with their symbolism, traditions, and family values, I can’t help but honor and respect them, love them. That’s what I have come to do living here in Austin in a very mixed, cultural community. AND, I unashamedly talk about my Jesus, being my life-saver, and my all-in-all!

Many of these people are “lifers” with me. We honor, look after, pray, share, and love each other. Why? Because Jesus said so. He never said “If they measure up to this or that.” He simply said “Love your neighbor as you love yourself!” And if those words were good enough for Him. They are good enough for me, Neighbor! I LOVE YOU!