 The amazing Filipino Youth Activities Drill Team at the Lunar New Year celebration on Jan. 29 (Photo by Catherine Anstett/Seattle Weekly) |
After Jan. 1, businesses usually slow down. People don’t feel like going out to eat or spending money when they have already spent a lot during the holidays.
The blessing for the Asian community is that we have the Lunar New Year, which falls on Feb. 3. It is conveniently right before Valentine’s Day. You don’t want the Lunar New Year to fall near Valentine’s Day because people tend to combine celebrations if the dates are too close. That would be a loss to the retail, restaurant, and grocery businesses.
So can the Lunar New Year also save an Asian newspapers’ business?
People need a reason to celebrate and advertise. This is the busiest time for the Asian Weekly and Chinese Post. We have to work during the Lunar New year. I am not complaining. I am grateful that my people are able to produce our biggest issues of the year.
In many Asian countries, the holiday can last as long as a week. My brother, who works in Beijing, returned to his home in Texas last week. He said his Chinese co-workers become distracted even as early as two weeks before the New Year. Their hearts aren’t in their work as much during this time. ♦