Question

How do you think migration impacted the celebration of the Lunar New Year in London, England?

Answer 1

Answer:

Explanation:

London, as the English city, started mostly as a place for British people who celebrate New Year by Gregorian calendar, meaning starting with January 1st. However, East Asian people follow the Lunar calendar, and their New Year celebration takes place during the first new moon of the first lunar month (date falls usually from January 21 to February 21 of Georgian calendar).

Chinese people, mainly began migrating to Britain around 1800, while the second wave was around the mid 20th century. By moving to London, they started making their communities and Chinatowns, where they could follow their traditions and religions. This meant celebrating Lunar New Year as well. As the population of Chinese migrants increased, the celebration of Lunar new year began to be bigger and transferred from home to the streets. Today, there is even a celebration of the Lunar new year on Trafalgar Square.

Yet, for some Chinese migrants, this is not New Year as they know it. Chinatown and Chinese festivals have become tourist attractions, as London is a very popular tourist destination. Therefore festivals became public events, even though Lunar New Year is quieter than Westerners know it. Chinese people in China mainly spend the holiday at home with families, celebrate by taking a vacation, and staying in. This is why the new wave of Chinese migrants are mainly spending the Lunar new year at home, sometimes talking online with their families back home, and not participating in the big public festival that has increased with globalization.