Lunar New Year Celebrated

 

On February 17, 2026, Chatham Hall’s International Student Association (ISA) welcomed the entire community into St. Mary's Chapel for a joyful and deeply meaningful Lunar New Year celebration. Every element of the service was designed and created by our students, from the decorations and calligraphy to the music, reflections, and prayers.

 

Lunar New Year, also known as the Chinese Spring Festival, is one of the most significant global holidays. Marking the beginning of spring and guided by the phases of the moon, the festival spans 15 days and is rooted in themes of renewal, gratitude, and hope. This year, our students invited us not simply to observe the holiday, but to enter into it with them.

 

The service was a true collaboration of voices, stories, traditions, and talents. Special thanks to Yoyo B. ’26, our International Student Association President, to Ms. Jarret, ISA Sponsor, and to Kate W. ’26 for designing the program and composing the community prayer. One of the most meaningful roles ISA members carry is serving as diplomats of their culture, and they did so beautifully.

 

Kate opened the service with the traditional prelude 彩云追月 (Colorful Clouds Chasing the Moon), filling the chapel with music that honored the moon, which determines the timing of the festival each year.

 

Aria D. ’27 offered gathering words from the Song Dynasty poet Zhang Xian:

 

韶华长在，明年依旧，相与笑春风。

一一宋•张先《少年游•井桃•林钟商》

 

May our golden youth remain,

May next year find us just the same,

Still side by side in the spring wind, smiling as we once grinned.

 

Each hymn echoed themes of nature and the moon, grounding us in the rhythm of the season.

 

Loey C. ’28 shared a tribute to the symbolism of the horse, especially meaningful in the Year of the Horse. In Chinese tradition, the horse represents energy, courage, progress, and success. She introduced us to idioms such as “ma dao cheng gong” — may success arrive as swiftly as a horse — and “long ma jing shen,” wishing strength and vitality.

 

She also shared lines from Du Fu:

 

骁腾有如此，万里可横行。

—唐杜甫《房兵曹胡马》

 

So fierce and swift its gallant stride,

ten thousand miles it may outride.

 

May your future be unobstructed and your great ambitions fulfilled.

 

Nicole H. ’28 reflected on celebrating at home in China. She described cleaning the house to sweep away bad luck, gathering for New Year’s Eve dinner, setting off fireworks with her father, and receiving red envelopes filled with blessings. Though she has spent the past two years away from home, the holiday continues to bring warmth and connection.

 

She closed with the words of Su Shi:

 

但愿人长久，千里共婵娟。

May we stay connected and share the same moon, even when we are far apart.

 

Aimmee W. ’27 shared how the Spring Festival represents reunion and warmth. She spoke of red couplets, lanterns, dumplings, midnight fireworks, and the joy of visiting relatives on the first day of the new year.

 

马驮福字入门早，燕街春联上梁新。

The horse brings fortune to the door at daybreak bright,

as swallows pass new couplets hung in spring’s first light.

 

For Aimmee, the heart of the festival is not the rituals themselves, but the togetherness they create.

 

Becky Y. ’27 invited the community into an interactive tradition titled Grace We Pass, Hope We Carry. Students and faculty wrote blessings for the year ahead and exchanged them during the Passing of the Peace. Before doing so, Yoyo B. ’26 and Alice W. ’26 taught the community how to say “Happy New Year” in Chinese, filling the chapel with voices practicing together before offering their greetings.

 

Jane W. ’26 rang the handbell to gather everyone back and announced six wishes featuring the image of the horse. Students were invited to receive a traditional red pouch after chapel.

 

Kate W. ’26 then led the community in a prayer she wrote for today’s service:

 

Gracious God,

As we welcome the New Year, renew our spirits.

Fill us with hope where there is uncertainty,

courage where there is fear,

and wisdom in all that we do.

 

Bless our families with peace,

our friendships with kindness,

and our community with unity.

 

May this new year bring health, purpose, and lasting joy to us all. Amen.

 

Rose W. ’27 and Nina Z. ’27 led the Lord’s Prayer, and Rachel T. ’27 offered the closing words:

 

愿得长如此，年年物候新。

May this moment last forever, as each year unfolds with fresh wonders of the seasons.

 

As we gathered in chapel, we were mindful that Ramadan and Lent also begin this week, each guided by the moon. Billions of people around the world are entering seasons of reflection and renewal. At Chatham Hall, we were reminded that when students share their traditions, they expand our understanding and deepen our community.

 

May the Year of the Horse bring courage, progress, and joy to us all. Happy New Year.

In addition to the chapel service, the International Student Association (ISA) hosted a calligraphy workshop, guiding students and faculty in writing Chinese characters and traditional New Year blessings. This evening, Yardley Dining Hall will continue the celebration with an authentic Lunar New Year meal, bringing the community together around the table to share in the joy and tradition of the holiday. After hours tonight, our ISA students will drop traditional red pouches at the door of every student on campus.