Celebrate Lunar New Year and the Year of the Rat at Hawaii’s Panda Express!
Mark your calendars because January 25, 2020 marks the beginning of Lunar New Year and the Year of the Rat in the Chinese zodiac and Panda Express is a great place to celebrate!
Lunar New Year traditionally includes the coming together of family and friends to feast and welcome the new year. A variety of lucky foods are served because of their symbolic meaning surrounding either their Chinese pronunciation or physical appearance—with individual dishes representing specific aspects of good fortune to come in the new year.
Panda Express locations in Hawaii serve egg rolls which symbolize wealth; long chow mein noodles that symbolize long life; and shrimp that symbolize happiness—making celebrating Lunar New Year with your family fun and delicious!
Another tradition of Lunar New Year is the giving of red envelopes, called hong bao in Mandarin. These monetary gifts are presented at social and family gatherings to children and unmarried adults during Lunar New Year. The color red symbolizes good luck and is said to ward off evil spirits.
To bring good fortune to your family this year, enjoy a family meal at your nearest Panda Express location to celebrate Lunar New Year beginning January 25. You can also make your own red envelope donation to kids treated at Kapi‘olani Medical Center for Women & Children at the register.
Your donation will help kids like Kapi`olani’s 2019 CMN Champion Lily:
After noticing Lily struggle with balance, her pediatrician ordered an MRI at Kapi‘olani Medical Center for Women & Children, which revealed a brain tumor. The 6-year old was admitted the very next day and prepared for surgery. Lily’s journey continued with chemotherapy and radiation at Kapi‘olani. Cancer treatments left Lily with severe hearing loss and visual impairment. After surgery to receive cochlear implants and further care from Kapi‘olani Rehabilitation Services, audiologists have helped Lily regain most of her hearing. Lily’s resilience, positive attitude and desire to help others are what make her stand out as a Champion. “Even if there is a lot of pain,” Lily explains. “I just try to keep a smile.”
In 2019, Panda Express employees and customers donated more than $400,000 to Kapi‘olani Medical Center for Women & Children and share how those funds were used to help the community.