WILDWOOD — Glenwood Avenue Elementary School second graders donned colorful masks and wished each other, “gung hay fat choy” during the class’ Chinese New Year celebration Feb. 7.
The greeting, the students in Linda Burgin’s second grade class told the Herald, means “have a happy and prosperous New Year.”
The masks, the students said, looked like dragons but were similar to the costumes worn by performers of the Chinese Lion Dance.
Chinese New Year marks the end of winter and the beginning of spring. It is a time for family reunions, for honoring ancestors and for thanking the gods for their blessings.
According to the Chinese calendar, this celebration ushered in the year of the rat.
Despite its stereotype today, the rat was welcomed in ancient times as a protector and bringer of material prosperity. It is the first of the 12-year cycle of animals, which appear in the Chinese zodiac related to the Chinese calendar. The rat sign is associated with aggression, wealth, charm, and order.
Contact Suit at: (609) 886-8600 ext. 25 or lsuit@cmcherald.com
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