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Western New Yorkers celebrate and learn the traditions behind the Lunar New Year

“For the Asian population, the Lunar New Year is like Christmas or Jewish holidays”
Posted 10:35 PM, Jan 29, 2025
and last updated 11:09 PM, Jan 29, 2025

BUFFALO, NY (WKBW) — Wednesday, January 29 marked the celebration of the Lunar New Year, a significant holiday for many Asian communities.

This day is not just a cultural event, but also a special holiday for students in New York State, as they get a day off from school in honor of the occasion.

New York City has the largest Asian population in the United States. In 2023, Governor Kathy Hochul signed a bill that made New York the first state to close schools in observance of the Lunar New Year.

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Lunar New Year learning inside Explore & More.

"This change happened to make it a school holiday as a result of a lot of encouragement from Asian Americans, who wanted to see their culture appreciated in New York," explained Kristin Stapleton, a professor and chair of the History Department at the University at Buffalo.

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Kristin Stapleton, a professor and chair of the History Department at the University at Buffalo.

“For the Asian population, the Lunar New Year is like Christmas or Jewish holidays," Stapleton said. "It's a time for family gatherings and celebrations. Having a day off from school allows for greater respect for those traditions.”

At Explore & More Children's Museum in Downtown Buffalo, kids like Carter were not just enjoying the day off—they were also learning about the traditions behind the Lunar New Year.

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Children with their aunt making paper snakes.

Carter was learning about the symbols related to the holiday, with his aunt and sister, Marie.

The museum offered a variety of activities, including making paper snakes, as this year marks the Year of the Snake in the Chinese zodiac.

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Children could learn Chinese choreography at Explore & More.

“It’s exciting for them to learn about different cultures and spread awareness about diversity,” Carter and Marie's aunt Kailey Elhaddad said.

For young learners like Joanne Swan, a first grader from Maryvale Primary, these activities provided both fun and educational experiences.

Swan, who was working on her own paper snake, explained, “I made a snake for the Lunar New Year.”

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Joanne Swan, a first grader from Maryvale Primary, with her grandma Rosanne Baker.

Rosanne Baker, Swan’s grandmother, shared her thoughts on the importance of such events: “It’s a good idea. Kids and parents can interact here and learn about the Lunar New Year together.”

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Last year's Lunar Parade in New York City.

When the governor signed the bill into law, she said that it's not just a day off from school, but a chance for children to learn about other cultures and traditions.

Other activities at Explore & More included learning Chinese Calligraphy and cardboard cutout supplies so children could "create the Great Wall of China."

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Kristin Stapleton, a professor and chair of the History Department at the University at Buffalo, showed off snake earnings to celebrate.

Stapleton, with a smile, shared a lighthearted moment: "I was glad to have a chance to talk to you because last night...I had dinner at the West Side Bazaar with some friends and I bought some dangly snake earrings...to celebrate the Year of the Snake," she laughed.

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Children created paper snakes for the Lunar New Year.

As for the children we spoke with, it was a colorful, culture-filled diverse day of play in the Queen City.

This story was initially reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.