Ahead of the New Year and Armenian Christmas, Hayern Aysor continues to touch upon Diaspora Armenians who live abroad, yet preserve the Armenian customs and religious traditions of celebrating the New Year.

This time Hayern Aysor’s correspondent talked to President of the Armenian Community of China Mher Sahakyan about how Chinese-Armenians celebrate the New Year.

Hayern Aysor: What do the New Year and Armenian Christmas mean to you?

Mher Sahakyan: The New Year and Christmas symbolize a new beginning. It means that a person can start from scratch and achieve more successes. These days we can think about what we have achieved in the passing year, draw conclusions and set new goals.

Hayern Aysor: Mr. Sahakyan, do Armenians preserve the national traditions of celebrating the New Year in China? Does the community hold community-wide events?

Mher Sahakyan: The Armenians of various cities of China hold gatherings, celebrate the New Year and Armenian Christmas together and try to preserve the national traditions as much as possible.

In December 2014, the Armenian Community of China organized a Holy Mass ahead of the holidays. The Holy Mass helped gather Armenians of various cities in the Chinese city of Guangzhou. This Holy Mass was symbolic in that there had not been an Armenian Holy Mass served in China for several decades. It was as if this helped the Armenians of China be more active in preserving the national identity.

Hayern Aysor: How did you and your family prepare for the New Year? Which traditions do you particularly preserve?

Mher Sahakyan: My daughters and I decorate the Christmas tree and watch the festivities broadcast on Chinese and Armenian television channels. My wife makes several traditional Armenian dishes. For instance, she makes dolma with leaves. After she makes the dishes, we open a bottle of wine, congratulate each other, wish us more success in the year to come and appreciate the achievements that my daughters, Satineh and Naneh have made in their studies throughout the year.

Hayern Aysor: Do you celebrate with your Chinese friends and acquaintances? What do they think about the way Armenians celebrate the New  Year?

Mher Sahakyan: Some of our Chinese friends participate in the events organized by the Armenian Community of China. Some of them are interested in the Armenian language, culture and national holidays. In the fall of 2016, Chenchen Vang, who had been learning Armenian for a long time, visited Armenia to continue her  studies through “ChinaHay” Armenian Community of China and the scholarship granted by the American University of Armenia.

The Chinese also celebrate the New Year, but they like to celebrate the traditional Chinese New Year more or, as they say, the Spring Celebration. It appears it will start on January 28^th this year.

The Chinese have also started celebrating Christmas with the traditions of the West. Christianity is becoming more and more common in certain parts of China, and this also shows how much the Chinese like Western values. Most Chinese celebrate Christmas in late December, as is accepted in the West. Most Chinese have little knowledge about Armenia and Armenian traditions.

Of course, the members of the Armenian Community present Armenia to the best of their ability, and the more active members are the members of the student association of the Armenian Community of China who hold many events at their respective universities and present Armenian culture and traditions.

Throughout the past couple of years, the Armenian Community of China has held several cultural events. It should be mentioned that one of the main goals of our organization is to present everything about Armenia and the Armenians to the Chinese.

During these events, our priority objective is to engage the artists, students and active members of the community.

Hayern Aysor: What would you like to wish all Armenians around the world?

Mher Sahakyan: I would like to see us Armenians be more active and enterprising, rely only on ourselves and improve our skills every day.

We Armenians must remember that Armenia will develop only when we see more people who create values. So, I wish to see skillful Armenian businessmen, carpenters, turners, doctors, journalists, servicemen, governors and scholars and scientists in 2017. What do we need for that? We only need to work hard and be enterprising.

During the holidays, I also wish everyone not to race to see who has the most expensive foods or different types of dishes on the table. This is only a waste of a family’s budget. You will rarely find anyone who will be amazed by expensive food or alcoholic drinks in the 21^st century. A family can spend that money on a trip, study and health.

The best “recipe” for a dish to serve for the New Year is the following: create a happy and loving atmosphere at home, and the New Year’s miracle will definitely happen. Dear Armenians, Happy New Year and Merry Armenian Christmas!

Interview by Gevorg Chichyan