Loss of Tradition

                                                               

China has a long history and many unique traditional festivals. Similarly, the United States has many festivals based on its western culture. I have been living in the United States and experienced its festivals for eleven years. However, I feel that I have lost some tradition about my motherland, China. China has various ethnic festivals, and one of the most important festivals is the Lunar New Year. The New Year is a joyous and peaceful festival when family and friends can get together. It’s a bonding experience for family members to deepen their relationships. However, I can only have nostalgia for it after coming to live in the United States. 

One of the reasons why I miss the Lunar New Year is because it is full of festive atmosphere. I have a dream that I can return to China during the Chinese New Year and relive the strong atmosphere. The Lunar New Year is very lively because there are various entertainment activities during the festival. I really want to have those experiences again, but it has become my wish since I left China.  People celebrate the New Year in various ways. In addition, People spend about a week of vacation with their family members, visiting relatives or calling friends for parties. Furthermore, people will say blessings to everyone, such as “happy new year (san nin faai lok)” or “wish you prosperity in the new year (gong hei fat choy”). Having a Lunar New Year was a luxury for me since I came to the United States. The Chinese New Year is not a holiday in the U.S., so my family doesn’t have time off during the festival. Therefore, we cannot spend a good Lunar New Year together in our new city. 

Another season why I miss the Lunar New Year is it has a lot of colorful celebrations.There are some celebrations and activities during the Lunar New Year in Chicago’s Chinatown every year. Some stores and restaurants are decorated with Chinese New Year features, and lion dances are performed on the weekends around New Year's Day in Chinatown. Although it can reduce some of my homesickness, the festival celebrations are very different. The Lunar New Year is a traditional festival in China, and the holiday lasts around one week. The entire country celebrates the New Year, and the annual festival activities make people never get bored. Furthermore, every part of every town and city is decorated. They decorate the streets with various flowers, hang lanterns on the ceiling and red envelopes on the walls. Everyone can feel the beauty of the motherland and the joy of the New Year all over the country. On the contrary, the Chinatown in Chicago is too small, and it is always familiar every year. Thus, it is easy for people to be bored with it.  

The last reasons why I miss the Lunar New Year is because it has a custom that friends and relatives can get together in the new year which is called “reunion”. I tried to spend Lunar New Year with my family or relatives in the U.S., but I was so disappointed that it was difficult for us to really enjoy it. Although I have some relatives in the U.S., they are very busy with their work or study during the Chinese New Year. Although we could meet each other sometimes, I didn’t feel the active atmosphere like China. I called the relatives to have a party during the festival, but their enthusiasm was not high. Perhaps the Chinese custom has gradually because they have lived in the United States for a long time. people have dinner with their families on New Year’s Eve every year. It’s one of the most abundant meals of the year, and every family uses chicken as the main dish. My family eats dinner in the U.S. every year, but we cannot really enjoy it. For example, we had a New Year’s Eve dinner last year. My daughter quickly finished her meal without saying a word, and then returned to the computer desk to continue her homework. My children grow up and receive education in the U.S., so they don’t know much about the meaning of the Lunar New Year. The only happiness for my children of the New Year is that I give them lucky money in a red envelope on the first day of the New Year because it's a Chinese tradition. 

To conclude, what is lost in translation for me is the sense of community, decorated streets and the reunion custom. I have tried to adapt to the American New Year instead of the Chinese New Year, but I still miss my friends or relatives in my motherland. I sincerely hope that my generation can inherit China’s traditional festivals forever. If there is a suitable time in the future, I will return to China with my family and experience the Lunar New Year.