Lunar New Year, a vibrant celebration marking the beginning of the lunar calendar, is a time of joy, tradition, and togetherness. While its roots are in China, this festival is celebrated worldwide, from Taiwan and the Philippines to Thailand and Singapore. At SMUS, we embraced this special occasion with open arms, bringing together students from all three schools to celebrate the richness of Chinese culture and the spirit of community.
This year’s Lunar New Year festivities and learnings were a whirlwind of activity, creativity, and cultural exchange across the Junior, Middl and Senior Schools. From field trips to hands-on workshops, our students immersed themselves in the traditions and significance of this beloved holiday.
Exploring Vancouver's Chinatown and Richmond City
The annual field trip to Vancouver's culture-filled Chinatown kickstarted the experiences for Mandarin 12 and AP students. Led by teacher Jennifer Mao, students made the ferry trek to the mainland to spend the day exploring the sights, sounds, and flavours of one of Canada’s most iconic cultural hubs. Downtown Vancouver, the classes explored Chinatown and visited the classical gardens and the Chinese Canadian museum. In Richmond they made a stop at the popular T&T grocery store to see and learn more about cultural foods, but not before stopping for some traditional dim sum where students could practice ordering in Mandarin. The field trip was a wonderful way to connect with the broader Chinese-Canadian community and deepen student understanding of the holiday’s cultural significance.
Honouring Traditions at the Middle School
Middle School's chapel was taken over with a special Lunar New Year celebration in the Chapel, led completely by students, with guidance from Reverend Fletcher. The morning featured presentations on the significance of traditional clothing, sweeping rituals, gold coins, and lucky red envelopes.
Students shared how wearing traditional garments during Lunar New Year is a way to honour cultural heritage, express respect, and bring good fortune. The vibrant colours and intricate designs of these clothes symbolize prosperity, renewal, and a fresh start for the year ahead.
Grade 8 student, Emma, explained the importance of cleaning the house before Lunar New Year to “sweep away bad luck” and make space for new opportunities and happiness. She also highlighted the cultural belief that sweeping on the first day of the New Year should be avoided to prevent accidentally discarding good fortune.
The celebration also delved into the symbolism of gold coins and red envelopes. Gold coins, often round with a square hole in the middle, represent wealth and success, while red envelopes filled with money are given as gifts to bring happiness, health, and prosperity. Students left the Chapel with chocolate gold coins, courtesy of Mrs. Lee, adding a sweet touch to the festivities.
The morning also included a special musical performance by Bruce, who played while fellow Grade 6 student Darwin did some live Chinese character painting.
Dumpling-Making at the Senior School
The Senior School hosted its annual dumpling-making sessions in our Mandarin courses. This beloved tradition brought together students, faculty, and even our Head of School, Mark Turner, to roll, fill, and fold dumplings—a symbol of wealth and good fortune in Chinese culture. The laughter and camaraderie in the room were a testament to the power of food to bring people together, and the dumplings were as delicious as they were meaningful.
Lanterns, Snakes, and Mandarin Lessons at the Junior School
The activities continued when our Mandarin 12 and AP Chinese Language and Culture classes visited the Junior School to share the joy of Chinese New Year with our youngest learners. From 9:00 to 11:30 a.m., the Grade JK to 3 students participated in a variety of activities, including crafting lanterns and snake decorations (a nod to the Year of the Snake), making dumplings, and even learning basic Mandarin phrases from their older peers.
AP Chinese Language and Culture students Renee Kwok '25 and Bianca Batoni '25 were among the Senior School students who engaged with our Junior School students.
“It's great to have the opportunity to teach Junior School students about the culture and the traditions of Lunar New Year. We played games and make arts and crafts with them and were able to share the Mandarin language,” reflected Kwok.
“Growing up learning about Chinese culture is a really beautiful experience, especially because both my parents are Caucasian. Being able to share that with the Junior School kids after I’ve experienced it is like giving back to the community,” added Batoni.
The week closed on a high note as we were thrilled to welcome the Wong Sheung Kung Fu Club to the Junior School for a special performance of the traditional Lion Dance. This vibrant and culturally rich performance was a wonderful opportunity for our students to experience an important aspect of Chinese heritage. The lively music, rhythmic drumming, and dynamic movements of the lion dancers captivated the audience, bringing the celebration to life in a truly memorable way.
A Celebration of Community
Chinese New Year is a time to reflect on the past, embrace the present, and look forward to the future. At SMUS, it’s also a time to celebrate the diversity and unity that make our school so special. As we shared traditions, stories, and laughter, we were reminded that no matter where we come from, we are all part of the same global family.
“Celebrating Lunar New Year at SMUS lets other students who aren’t familiar with Chinese culture get a glimpse into what we do. It’s nice to share our traditions and activities with everyone at school,” Batoni shared.
“SMUS is such an international community, and a lot of the boarders have no clue about how Chinese New Year is celebrated. Being able to teach them is incredible,” said Kwok, echoing the sentiment.
Thank you to everyone who made these celebrations possible—our students, staff, and families. Together, we created memories that will last a lifetime and reinforced the values of curiosity, respect, and connection that define SMUS.
Here’s to a year filled with joy, prosperity, and endless possibilities!
