A Festive Celebration of the Lunar New Year
Chinese New Year is likely the most livelyand highly anticipated festival in the Philippines. With heavy Chinese-Filipino influence, the festival is celebratedthroughout the nation, most notably in Binondo, the oldest Chinatown in the world. The streets are lit up with red lanterns, dragon and lion dances, and burning firecrackers, all of which are believed to usher good fortune and chaseaway evil spirits.
Filipino families of all ancestries typically join in the festivities by preparing round fruits, tikoy (sticky rice cake), and other symbolic foods that symbolize good luck. Many Chinese traditions are also observed, such as giving ang pao (red envelopes filled with money) to the kids and wearing red toensure good luck. Temples and companieshold special ceremonies and prayers to bring in a fruitful new year.
The Chinese New Year celebration in the Philippines is a testament to the nation's immense love for cultural diversity. It is not only for Chinese-Filipinos but for everybody, a celebration of the holidays that fosters unity, prosperity, and aglimpse of a brighter future.
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