It’s his time to shine!By Heather Gustine / Editor-in-chief

Time to bust out the firecrackers and deck yourself out in red — it’s the Chinese new year.

UPG’s Chinese new year celebration will be held on Wednesday, Feb. 7, at 6:30 p.m. in 118 Village Hall.

A couple years ago, Nancy Estrada, associate professor of Spanish, was approached by students wishing to partake in more La Cultura events. Last year, an RA hosted the Chinese New Year event with a talk on the history of the Chinese New Year and an opportunity for students to make crafts.

“When Rosetti House was open, every year we would have a Chinese dinner there,” says Estrada. “We would make the food, do the decorations, then sit down and enjoy it. That was great, but we no longer have use of those facilities.”

Every year, La Cultura have a La Cultura fundraiser dinner that the faculty can go to. Since alcohol is served at the event, students are not permitted to attend the dinner.

“Students aren’t going to be able to pay $130 a plate, either,” says Estrada.

After being approached by students wishing to partake in more La Cultura events, Estrada decided to organize a La Cultura celebration for the students. She hopes that the food and activities at the Chinese New Year events will get students excited about learning about another culture’s customs.

Ribbon Dance:: UPG sophomore Yi Lu will perform a ribbon dance.Along with the food and colorful decorations, Estrada says that Susan Lu, assistant professor of English, will give a presentation on Chinese New Year’s customs. There will also be booths for fortune telling with Chinese sticks and calligraphy. Yi Lu, sophomore, will perform a ribbon dance in traditional Chinese dress. Estrada hopes to have Chinese musicians at the event as well.

In the Chinese culture, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day are celebrated as a family affair, a time of reunion and thanksgiving. Each New Year is greeted with feelings of hope and possibility throughout the world.

Children in China would receive red packets of “lucky money” as well as set off fireworks to indicate a new beginning and drive away any bad luck. Though there won’t be any fireworks at UPG’s celebration, there will be other fun activities to get people in the spirit.

“Back in China, it is pretty similar to our Christmas, our Thanksgiving,” says Lu. “It’s a family festival. No matter where you are, you come back home and have a dinner together.”

The Chinese zodiac is a rotating cycle of 12 animals, a different one for each year. These recurring animals represent a concept of time, traditionally used for dating the years in China.

The exact date of the Chinese New Year changes from year to year since it is based on the movement of the moon, but it always falls some time between Jan. 17 and Feb. 19. This year, the new year falls on Feb. 17.

The New Year’s festivities are not just restricted to campus. Estrada says that students will also be able to attend an 11-course banquet being held at SYRIA Shriners Center in Cheswick, Saturday, Feb. 24.

Sponsored by the Organization of Chinese Americans, this event will also have Chinese dances, a silent auction, a market place and a chance to win door and raffle prizes. UPG’s International Academic Village will pay for any student interested in attending. A $10 refundable deposit is required to reserve a seat on the van.

“It’s always nice to have something to celebrate, it doesn’t matter where you come from,” says Lu. “It’s always nice to be together, especially in this particular setting [at UPG]. This will be a good opportunity for students to learn something about Chinese tradition.”