Chinese New Year, also known as the Spring Festival or Lunar New Year, is a long-established Chinese festival celebrated on the first day of the lunisolar calendar. This year, it fell on Friday, February 16th.

Dana Hall has been celebrating this tradition for many years. Last Friday, along with the brief morning presentation, the dining center also provided the special, traditional Chinese New Year lunch meal as part of the day’s celebration. A variety of food was served, including Vegetable Eggroll, Edamame Dumpling, Chicken Lemongrass Dumpling, Peking Ravioli, Lo Mein Noodles, Rice Vermicelli, and Soba Noodles with tofu, chicken, or shrimp.

“The food tastes like home, especially the eggrolls, they were amazing,” says Stephanie Zhao ’18. She appreciates the meals and the improved quality of them. “The Dining Center this year really went out of the way to make us feel like home,” she says, recognizing the efforts made on behalf of all students.

This meal may feel like home for some students. For students who don’t celebrate this festival, however, the meal seems more of a discovery of new tastes. “When I went upstairs, I was engulfed in amazing, unique smells that really intrigued me,” says Ilana Koppel ’19. She loves Asian cuisines and the way Dana includes and celebrates different cultures “by integrating food in community and introducing different cultures and concepts.”

Chinese New Year falls at this time of the year, marking the start of a new moon. This festival also brings people together to taste and enjoy food from different cultures.

Wishing you all a happy year of dog!