Archbishop Carroll students are ‘hopping’ into the Year of the Rabbit. 

That’s the name of 2023 according to the Chinese lunisolar calendar, which began Jan. 22 with Lunar New Year, also known as Chinese New Year.  The celebration touched off by Chinese New Year honors the start of spring and is known as the Spring Festival in China, according to the Smithsonian Museum. 

The rabbit is a symbol for cautiousness, calmness, and gentleness. The Year of the Rabbit is expected to be a time of self-reflection and peace, according to NBC News. 

“We celebrate the lunar calendar and essentially the whole celebration is about receiving luck and prosperity for the next year through money,” said junior Aidan Chau. “It’s the Chinese way of saying I hope you get more money next year.”

The 15-day Lunar New Year holiday is filled with many celebrations and traditions. One of the most important traditions is spending time with family, according to the Smithsonian Museum. 

“I got $900 and my family had a party,” said senior Keevan Nguyen.

Another important tradition during Lunar New Year is the exchange of red envelopes filled with money. Red envelopes represent giving nice wishes and good luck for the new year, according to Google Arts and Culture. 

“My favorite part of celebrating [Lunar New Year] is receiving the red envelopes,” said freshman Nathan Moc. 

Lunar New Year is most commonly celebrated in China. However, many countries in southeastern Asia celebrate the holiday as well such as Vietnam, Taiwan, and South Korea. Many Asian-Americans living in the United States also celebrate Lunar New Year to honor their heritage.

“I enjoyed receiving money in red envelopes and embracing the new year through my culture,” said senior Nancy Truong.