Before the pandemic, Brian Kan King Lun, 12, and his extended family members in Hong Kong were able to celebrate the Lunar New Year together.在疫情爆发前，12岁的学乐小记者Brian Kan King Lun会和他在香港的大家庭成员一起庆祝农历新年。
Lunar New Year is celebrated in Asian countries that use the lunar calendar. This year, celebrations will begin on February 12 and end 14 days later. My maternal grandmother, Sannie Jue, celebrated the holiday when she was growing up in Hong Kong. “We usually cooked fish, chicken, and duck,” she said.
亚洲国家用农历庆祝农历新年。今年的新年庆典将在2月12日开始，14天后结束。我的外祖母Sannie Jue在香港长大的时候也庆祝过这个节日。“我们通常会做鱼、鸡和鸭，”她说。
To celebrate the holiday, many families put up decorations, including red and gold lanterns and Chinese dragons. On the first day, some people might offer gifts and sacrifices to their ancestors and then enjoy a reunion dinner with extended family. It’s a tradition to give out red envelopes (lucky money) to the children as a sign of luck and prosperity.
为了庆祝这个节日，许多家庭挂起了装饰品，包括红色和金色的灯笼和中国龙。在第大年初一，一些人可能会准备礼物和祭品祭拜祖先，然后和大家庭一起享受团圆饭。给孩子发红包（压岁钱）是一个传统，作为好运和繁荣的象征。
“Lunar New Year is one of the most important festivals to us Chinese people,” Kid Reporter Victoria Tang, 11, told me via email. Victoria lives in Shanghai, a city of more than 24 million people on China’s central coast.
“农历新年是我们中国人最重要的节日之一，”11岁的学乐儿童记者Victoria Tang)通过电子邮件告诉我。维多利亚住在上海，上海位于中国中部沿海，人口超过2400万。
"We also wear red clothing,” wrote Kid Reporter Teresa Fang, 14, who lives with her family in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. “Kids stay up until midnight to give our wishes to our grandparents, which is a tradition called shou zui. All of these acts symbolize that everything will go well in the year ahead.”
“我们也穿红色的衣服，”14岁的学乐儿童记者Teresa Fang写道，她和家人住在北卡罗来纳州教堂山。“孩子们会熬夜到半夜把我们的愿望给祖父母，这是一个被称为守岁的传统。所有这些行为都象征着在新的一年里万事如意。”
Eating dumplings is a tradition on Lunar New Year. Sometimes, coins are hidden in the dumplings. Whoever discovers the coins will enjoy good luck in the new year. 吃饺子是农历新年的传统。有时，饺子里还藏着硬币。谁发现了这些硬币，谁就会在新的一年里有好运气。
Different foods symbolize different wishes. Fish, one of the most important dishes eaten on Lunar New Year, represents abundance and good luck when served whole at the table. Long noodles symbolize good health and a long life. Eating an entire chicken means that there will be completeness in your life, and fresh fruit represents new beginnings for all.
不同的食物象征着不同的愿望。鱼是农历新年最重要的一道菜，当整桌上桌时，鱼代表着富足和好运。长寿面象征着健康和长寿。吃一整只鸡意味着你的生活将是完整的，而新鲜的水果则代表着一切的新开始。
“Lunar New Year is very similar to Christmas,” Teresa wrote. “It’s a time of reunion and connecting with friends and family. On the first day of the Chinese new year, we’re supposed to visit our family and friends’ houses in person. But this year, due to the pandemic, we’ll ‘visit’ each other through video calls.”
“农历新年和国外圣诞节非常相似，”特蕾莎写道。“这是一个与朋友和家人团聚、联系的时刻。在中国新年的第一天，我们应该去我们的家人和朋友的家里拜年。但今年，由于疫情蔓延，我们将通过视频电话‘拜访’彼此。”
Because of the pandemic, Victoria and her family will scale back their celebrations, too. “Instead of a large dinner, we’ll make dumplings ourselves and eat at home,” she wrote. “Instead of red envelopes, we’ll give each other red packets online through an app. We’re not allowed to set off fireworks anymore, either.”
由于大流行，维多利亚和她的家人也将减少他们的庆祝活动。“我们不吃大餐，而是自己包饺子，在家里吃，”她写道。“不再发红包，我们会通过app在网上互相发红包。我们也不再被允许燃放烟花爆竹了。”
Kid Reporter Brian Kan King Lun, 12, said that his extended family in Hong Kong will “have a big get-together through Zoom.”
12岁的学乐儿童记者Brian Kan King Lun说，他在香港的大家庭将通过Zoom举办一次大型“聚会”。
Victoria Tang makes dumplings with her family in Shanghai. 维多利亚·唐和她的家人在上海包饺子。
In Chinese astrology, each of the 12 zodiac signs represents an animal: the Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and Pig. One animal represents each year, starting with the Rat, and repeats in a 12-year cycle.
在中国占星术中，每一个十二生肖代表一种动物：鼠、牛、虎、兔、龙、蛇、马、羊、猴、鸡、狗和猪。一种动物代表一年，从老鼠开始，以12年为周期重复。
This is the Year of the Ox. According to ancient beliefs, the animal signifies such traits as dedication, honesty, and persistence.
今年是牛年。根据古老的信仰，牛象征着奉献、诚实和坚持。
Lunar New Year celebrations will be quieter this year, but families are still looking forward to making festive meals and connecting virtually.
今年的农历新年庆祝活动将不再那么热闹，但家家户户仍然期待着制作节日大餐，并通过网络与家人联系。
图 | Scholastic
文 | Scholastic
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