Lunar New Year celebrations started this week, reaching beyond China.

Oh, brace yourselves for the utterly groundbreaking revelation – the Lunar New Year, also known as the Chinese New Year or Spring Festival, happened! This year, the world collectively gasped and celebrated the arrival of the majestic Year of the Dragon on February 10, 2024. Who knew such an event was taking place? Certainly not the billions of people worldwide who engage in this cultural extravaganza.

But let’s not get too excited; it’s merely one of the “most important and celebrated holidays” in several Asian countries, according to Jenny Leung, executive director of the Chinese Culture Center of San Francisco. Because who needs global recognition when you can keep it exclusive, right? And of course, it’s not just about China; Lunar New Year is so inclusive that even places like Calgary, Canada, boasting a staggering 200,000 celebrants, get to join the party. What a time to be alive!

Now, let’s delve into the varied ways this riveting celebration unfolds across the globe. In Australia, they transform public spaces with dragon boat races – because nothing says New Year like boats shaped like mythical creatures. Meanwhile, the United Kingdom, always a cultural trailblazer, hosts celebrations in Belfast, Liverpool, and London, with Trafalgar Square and the National Maritime Museum becoming the epicentres of Lunar New Year chic.

Oh, and how could we forget the United States, where the state of Colorado graciously deemed February 10 an “observed” holiday? Because nothing screams official recognition like being “observed.” San Francisco’s Chinatown, the oldest in America, takes the lead with three weeks of festivities, including the world-renowned Chinese New Year Parade – running since 1851, a mere blink of an eye in historical terms.

Let’s not overlook Indonesia, where the Lunar New Year is considered a public holiday, because who doesn’t need an extra day off? Indonesia, with its motto “Unity in Diversity,” surely finds unity through enjoying lavish restaurants and buffets during this time. And in Bhutan, the country famed for prioritizing “Gross National Happiness” over GDP, they celebrate Losar with austere religious fervor. Because who needs worldly pleasures when you can have spiritual purification?

In conclusion, the Lunar New Year is just another quaint little event celebrated by a handful of people across the globe. It’s heartwarming to see how this obscure festivity brings together communities in places like Sydney, London, and even the humble Bhutan. Here’s to the Year of the Dragon – may it bring us more obscure holidays to pretend we knew about all along!