Xavier School celebrated its first face-to-face Chinese New Year since the start of the pandemic, Jan. 20, 2023. It was the first onsite event where the whole student body, from grade school to high school, came together to celebrate the occasion. This 2023 is Year of the Water Rabbit, which symbolizes longevity, peace, and prosperity.

The celebration started off with a mass presided over by our school president, Fr. Aristotle Dy, SJ. His message encouraged the student body to face the new year with the joy and hope of the rabbit. He also highlighted how willing the students must be to make sacrifices, just as the rabbit did from a folklore story, so that they may be able to help those around them. The student body also paid respect to the ancestors during the veneration.

The main program of the Chinese New Year showcased various student performances celebrating Chinese culture. This included the lion dance performance by the Xavier Dragon Lion Dance Troupe (XDL), Chinese songs sung by De Novo, the grade 5 and 6 batches, the winners of the Chinese singing contest, and dance performances rendered by the kinder students and DanceX.

To end the day off, each class had a short salo-salo where students brought foods like tikoy, siomai, and shanghai. Minimum health standards were strictly observed in the conduct of the entire program.