Sophia Nguyen, senior

By Olivia Brenner

For senior Sophia Nguyen, the holiday season means spending time with family. She enjoys both Christmas and Lunar New Year with her family, and they celebrate Christmas with a potluck-style family dinner and karaoke. She especially enjoys the time with her aunt and uncle and the games they play together, as well as going to see lights with her mom. 

“I enjoy that a lot because it makes us feel more connected,” said Nguyen, whose family is Vietnamese. “Everybody’s just there to have a good time.”

Her family also celebrates Lunar New Year, which this year falls on Jan. 29. Lunar New Year is the celebration of the arrival of spring and the beginning of a new year, and it is celebrated in many east Asian countries, including Vietnam. On this holiday, elders give younger family members a red envelope with money, and both family members make wishes for one another. 

“It’s a way for elder people and the younger people to have a sense of respect for each other,” Nguyen said. 

There isn’t an age cut-off for “elders,” so in Nguyen’s family anyone can give an envelope to anybody younger than them. She has noticed generational differences in the wishes that accompany the envelopes. She said her younger aunt and uncle can connect better with her and the younger family members.

“I feel like whenever talking to my aunt and uncle, they really put a lot of thought into what they wish,” said Nguyen, “I feel like you connect more because you’re closer in age.”