Artwork by Nina Gruteser
Many Americans consider Fall or Winter to be their favorite season. They relish the ambience, seasonal flavored drinks, and anticipation of the holidays. For the most enthusiastic celebrants, the end of Halloween often marks the beginning of Christmas decorations and the playing of Mariah Carey’s famed record. Along with Christmas and Hanukkah, there are several other major holidays that Americans celebrate. Of the United States’ 333 million citizens, about 20.6 million identify as Asian, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander. For many of these people, the holiday season is spent observing traditional holidays from their own diverse ethnicities. Here are just a few significant celebrations for the AAPI community.
Diwali, also known as the Festival of Lights, is one of India’s biggest celebrations. The festival is celebrated in Hinduism, Jainism, and Sikhism. It commemorates the victory of light over darkness, of good over evil, and coincides with the Hindu new year. People participate in activities over the course of 5 days, during which they clean their homes, buy new utensils, and exchange gifts with loved ones. They also light clay lamps outside their homes and create rangoli to symbolize the holiday’s themes and welcome good fortune. Diwali is one of the most important holidays for the roughly 5.4 million Asian Americans who identify as South Asian.
The Mid-Autumn Festival is the second most important Chinese holiday, after the Chinese New Year. It is also called the Moon Festival or Mooncake Festival, after the tradition of eating mooncakes with family and the legend of Chang’e and Hou Yi. Outside of China, it is also celebrated in Singapore, Vietnam, Malaysia, the Philippines, and other Asian countries. The holiday falls on the 15th day of the eighth month of the Chinese lunar calendar, on which families celebrate by gathering for dinner, lighting paper lanterns, eating mooncakes, and worshiping the moon. Similar to Thanksgiving, it is a time for family reunions, and people give thanks for the harvest in the coming year.
Chuseok is considered to be Korea’s Thanksgiving and is on the same day as the Mid-Autumn Festival. Its origins come from Korea’s past as an agrarian society and traditionally, people return to their ancestral homes to celebrate with their families. Also known as Hangawi, the holiday is a three-day harvest festival where families gather on the full moon and thank their ancestors for the year’s harvest. People wear traditional clothing, visit the tombs of their ancestors, perform dances, hold folk games, and prepare traditional dishes.
Lunar New Year, or China’s Spring Festival, is the biggest holiday for many East and Southeast Asian cultures. It is celebrated in places like Vietnam, Korea, Singapore, and Malaysia; different countries have distinct celebrations and traditions. The holiday celebrates the arrival of the new year and symbolizes prosperity, good fortune, and health. Families reunite for abundant dinners and to honor their ancestors. Chinese people celebrate with red colored decorations and clothing, hanging of calligraphy, fireworks, dragon dances, and more. Its influence has spread throughout the globe across various cultures and communities.
As the United States becomes increasingly diverse, its citizens’ various cultural and religious traditions should become widely recognized. Minority communities deserve to have their cultures officially acknowledged and accepted, providing greater opportunities for certain American citizens to enjoy their cultures without fear of missing school or work. Many of these holidays are symbols of unity and connection for Asian Americans. Recognizing major holidays, like Lunar New Year, as federal holidays would emphasize the inclusion and importance of Asian Americans within American society.