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A month into 2021 and already want to hit the refresh button? Luckily, the Year of the Ox begins on February 12, just in time for us to reset and celebrate Lunar New Year.
The holiday, also known as春节 Chunjie (China), 설날 Seollal (Korea), ལོ་གསར Losar (Tibet) andTét (Vietnam), falls between January 21 and February 21 on the Gregorian calendar and always begins on the first new moon of the lunisolar calendar.
Each lunar year is connected to a zodiac animal and its related attributes, with 12 animals recurring on a 12-year cycle. Traditions span from gathering with family to making dumplings, with Lunar New Year most commonly visualized through the use of lucky colors red and gold.
Ever wondered why red is the main color of Lunar New Year?
According to Chinese legends, there was once an evil spirit named Nian who would appear on New Year’s Eve to terrorize villagers and devour their crops, livestock, and even children. After years of torment, villagers discovered that Nian was afraid of the color red. In addition to having evil-suppressing powers, red represents the fire element, often correlated with prosperity and happiness. Talk about a winning combination!
Every Lunar New Year, red envelopes, known as hóngbāo (紅包) in Chinese and lì xì in Vietnamese, are filled with money andgiven to children by their parents and elders. The tradition is less about the money and more about receiving the red envelope itself, which symbolizes a blessing for good luck and fortune in the new year.
Cities around the world roll out the red carpet, adorning streets, windows and homes with red decorations as they prepare to set off red firecrackers to ring in the New Year. If you’re not able to join in a larger celebration given your location or current health restrictions, we at least suggest slipping on something red - a must for summoning additional good luck and happiness!
With its roots tied to emperors and empresses, it’s no surprise that gold is the symbol of royalty. The color is also synonymous with wealth, richness and success, and is often used in combination with red during Lunar New Year to reinforce those messages of good fortune and prosperity to all in the upcoming year.
Our most affluent nail color, Billions, is the perfect golden accessory to your Lunar New Year festivities – wear it by itself or with red as a powerful duo!
We hand-crafted these designs in honor of the Year of the Ox. Recreate the looks you see here (and more!) with our new limited-edition Lunar New Year Set.
Complete with The Perfect Red, Billions, nail tape and Lip R&R for channeling good luck now and in the months to come.
In Korean culture, Lunar New Year color celebrations are not limited to red and gold, but rather involve men and women donning brightly colored modern and traditional Hanboks, two-piece outfits made withembroidered cotton or silk.
Image source: https://www.habkorea.net/
