"As you can see, we are ushering in the year of the horse in a spectacular way. It's full of prosperity and abundance and courage and most of all rebellion as it rears up on its hind legs," Debra Downing, executive director of marketing at South Coast Plaza, told Xinhua.
COSTA MESA, United States, Feb. 13 (Xinhua) -- South Coast Plaza, the largest shopping mall in California, kicked off its annual Lunar New Year celebrations on Thursday, with the spirit of the horse taking center stage in this season's festivities.
The celebrations, scheduled to conclude on March 1, feature a spectacular Year of the Horse centerpiece, a rich cultural photo exhibition and exclusive merchandise from over 50 brands.
The shopping mall, located about 75 km southeast of Los Angeles, will also provide commemorative gifts with purchase, enter-to-win promotions, festive children's crafts and special dining experiences during the celebrations.
Standing at the heart of Jewel Court, the Year of the Horse centerpiece is elegantly perched atop sculpted clouds. Chinese Lunar New Year elements, including the lucky knot and firecrackers, are woven throughout the installation, with the fire element thoughtfully integrated into the design.
The horse is composed of floral and natural materials and finished with exceptional detail. Its surface features bronze strawflower, gold flaxseed, fine ground coffee and black onion powder, accented with red cranberry, gold clover and dried cranberry seeds.
"As you can see, we are ushering in the year of the horse in a spectacular way. It's full of prosperity and abundance and courage and most of all rebellion as it rears up on its hind legs," Debra Downing, executive director of marketing at South Coast Plaza, told Xinhua.
"We are so proud and honored to celebrate this traditional ceremony for our Asian communities, throughout Orange County and beyond," she said.
"The Asian community in Orange County has been a part of the story here and a big part of the South Coast Plaza story. And every year we try to celebrate in a way that honors tradition, but also speaks to the future and to modernity," she added.
Thursday's event featured a lively performance of the traditional Chinese lion dance, which symbolizes good luck and warding off evil spirits, and is a staple of Lunar New Year festivities. The performers' colorful costumes and acrobatic movements captivated shoppers of all ages.
Meanwhile, a photo exhibition titled "Jiangnan New Year's Flavor -- Hangzhou Edition" was unveiled at the shopping mall on Thursday.
The curators, the Consulate General of China in Los Angeles and the Hangzhou municipal government, said the exhibition aims to take U.S. audiences on a visual journey to experience the Chinese rituals and festive traditions from the 12th lunar month to the Lantern Festival through 46 selected pictures.
"This is not only a tribute to traditional Chinese festivals but also a heartfelt homage to the universal human emotions: love for family, yearning for beauty, and anticipation for the New Year," said the photo exhibit description.■
