For these Hamilton residents, Lunar New Year is about family, food and cultural connection

Dora Wilson, a mother of two, wishes it wasn't so hard to celebrate the Lunar New Year in Hamilton.

Wilson has lived in Hamilton since 2000 and says she has struggled to find Cantonese speaking groups in the Chinese community to share the Lunar New Year with her and her family.

"They don't seem to be advertised or well known and I try to learn about what's happening in my community. Finding any sort of celebrations in the city is very challenging," said Wilson.

The multi-day Lunar New Year is celebrated by several different communities starting on the first new moon between Jan. 21 and Feb. 20 each year. This year, that falls on Jan. 22. Traditions tied to the holiday include cleaning the house, spending time with family and enjoying foods that promote good luck and health. 

Other traditions involve visiting a temple and praying, wearing bright red or gold colours to promote wealth and fortune and giving money to family members in red envelopes. 

According to Statistics Canada 2021 data, based on a 25 per cent sample size, there are around 65,000 people of Asian heritage in Hamilton, with the largest group being South Asian, followed by more than 10,000 people who identify as Chinese. 

To celebrate the Year of the Water Rabbit, Wilson said she is planning on showing her two kids, aged six and four, Chinese traditions — and a lot of things involving food.

"Their palette is not quite there yet but they really do enjoy longevity noodles [wheat noodles that are never shortened or cut, which are then cooked in a broth and with seasoned vegetables and sesame oil] and dumplings," she said.

She also plans on visiting her family in Markham, Ont., where she expects traditional meals, such as dumplings and fish, and red envelopes, but no firecrackers or fireworks. 

"I don't know if there are any lion or dragon dances in Hamilton… so unfortunately half of our celebration is not in Hamilton," she said.

Wilson said she wants to see more representation not only of Asian cultures but of all communities in the city. She has seen improvements over the years with the addition of new Asian grocery stores and restaurants, she added.

"I usually had to go to Mississauga for that stuff, now it's really different in a good way," she said. "Having that exposure and representation matters and I see the difference between how I grew up and what my children are being exposed to and they're able to embrace their culture."

Co-founder of the Asian-fusion bakery MySweeTooth Jia Tian is celebrating the Lunar New Year with baked goods made especially for the occasion.

Tian opened the downtown Hamilton shop in 2020 with her co-founder Peter Sun and for the new year, she wanted to create something sweet for families to take home and celebrate the holiday with.