FASCA-SD Hosts Festive and Educational Lunar New Year Celebration
- FASCA San Diego
- Jan 26
- 2 min read
San Diego, CA — On January 26, 2025, the San Diego Chapter of the Formosa Association of Student Cultural Ambassadors (FASCA-SD) hosted a vibrant Lunar New Year celebration and party, bringing together members to honor cultural traditions in a fun and meaningful way. The event highlighted FASCA’s core values of service, leadership, culture, and heritage.
The day began with members of FASCA-SD arriving early to decorate the venue with traditional Lunar New Year decorations, including lanterns, Spring Festival couplets (chun lian), and red and gold accents. This effort transformed the space into a festive atmosphere reflective of the holiday’s spirit. Demonstrating leadership and teamwork, members voluntarily took charge of the setup, embodying FASCA’s commitment to serving their community.
The celebration featured three engaging craft stations. Participants created a snake-shaped paper lantern to represent the Year of the Snake, a chun lian-inspired decoration using a paper plate shaped into a snake, and practiced calligraphy by writing traditional Chinese characters on red paper. These hands-on activities provided members with an opportunity to immerse themselves in Chinese cultural arts while fostering creativity and collaboration.
Following the crafts, members of FASCA-SD joined parents and mentors in preparing and cooking traditional dishes such as dumplings and nougat candy. Most of the food was generously donated by the parents of FASCA-SD, showcasing their unwavering support and commitment to the organization. The cooking session not only encouraged teamwork but also offered insights into the symbolic significance of these foods in Lunar New Year traditions. The hard work culminated in a communal feast where everyone enjoyed the delicious results.
A special highlight of the event was a visit from OCAC Council Member Steve Hsieh, who extended his New Year’s greetings to the members. Together with Eric Poliak, the house owner and parent of FASCA-SD member Jason, they distributed red envelopes, a cherished Lunar New Year tradition symbolizing good fortune and blessings. FASCA-SD also extended its deepest gratitude to Eric for generously hosting the celebration for two consecutive years. This ongoing support has been invaluable to the success of the event and is deeply appreciated by all members.
The festivities concluded with interactive games, including mahjong, a claw machine, dice games, riddles, pinball machine and a chopstick-racing challenge. Members competed for prizes such as snacks and drinks, capping off the day with laughter and camaraderie.
Peggy Han, the consulting mentor for FASCA-SD, remarked, “This celebration was more than just an enjoyable gathering; it was a meaningful cultural experience that deepened members’ connections to their heritage. By combining traditional activities with interactive learning, FASCA-SD has once again shown its dedication to preserving and promoting Taiwanese and Chinese cultural traditions among younger generations.”
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