Family rep: Raymond Chan, a student at the University of Hawai'i-Manoa who is studying psychology and biology.

Rest of the family: In Hawai'i, there's mom Anna, sister Cecilia, cousin Angela; dad Hong Kee Chan is working in Hong Kong now.

Chinese Lunar New Year: Preparations begin a month before, explains Raymond Chan. They clean the house thoroughly, buy new clothes and put up red decorations with their own lucky words. Lucky words come from the temple; this coming year, their lucky words are "auspicious coexistence," which means "everybody is happy together," he said. The words were written by the founder of his temple in Taiwan.

Special smells/sights/flavors: In China, they'll be eating meat dumplings "shaped bent, like Chinese gold or silver," he said, and might be drinking alcohol, but in his Buddhist tradition, they can't do that. They don't imbibe in alcohol or eat meat. "We still have fun," he said. And around Chinese celebrations here in Hawai'i, you'll be sure to see the colorful parade and smell the firecrackers.

How faith affects his life: "It's everything. I chose my major because of it. I believe that there's something behind our biological mind that can make sense of the world. ... The most essential is our invisible eye. Buddhism talks about that."

The Busekrus family, Michael, Malia, Cassandra, 9, in back row, Zachary, 10, Timothy, 7, Samantha, 5, and Nicholas, 3, in front row attend St. John Vianney church in Enchanted Lake. Rebecca Breyer • The Honolulu Advertiser

Family rep: Malia Busekrus, mother and homeschool teacher.

Rest of the family: With Michael, her husband, who is a third-grade teacher at Le Jardin Academy, she has five children: Zachary, 10; Cassandra, 9; Timothy, 7; Samantha, 5; and Nicholas, 3. Their newest arrival was due to be born yesterday.

Ash Wednesday: This day begins Lent, the period before Easter. It commemorates the 40 days Jesus spent in the desert, praying. The Busekrus family will go to the morning service to get ashes on their foreheads in the shape of a cross. "It represents repentance and humility," Malia Busekrus said.

Special smells/sights/flavors: "We'll have a festive meal on Tuesday," she said, though with a new baby, it's unlikely she'll attend her church's big Mardi Gras party. Plus, there's likely to be a whiff of malassadas in the air on Fat Tuesday. Color will also abound: "The priest and altar will be in purple," she notes, and once Lent starts, they'll have "lots of soups, salads and simple meals representing fasting."

How faith affects her life: "It's an incorporation of everything," Malia Busekrus said. "During Lent, we try to go to daily Mass as often as possible, receiving the Eucharist. Personally, I have prayer time by reading the Bible and I memorize scripture." When she's at a crossroads, she finds certain scriptures will pop into her mind, giving her direction. She also relies on a Catholic home-school group and a Christian fellowship group for spiritual support.

Sumble Maha Khan, left, her mother, Zeenat Baha Khan, and her sister, Suha Maha Khan, pray at their home in Pearl City. Rebecca Breyer • The Honolulu Advertiser

Family rep: Abdul-Karim Khan, associate professor of world history.

Rest of the family: With wife, Zeenat, he has two daughters, Sumble, 19 and Suha, 15.

Muharram: As a Sunni Muslim, it's not celebrated the same way it is for Shiites, which consider the month of Muharram as a period of mourning. (Shiite Muslims are a smaller sect. Most Iranian Muslims are Shiite, as are many Iraqis and Afghans.) While some may fast that day, others may have a nice meal and invite over friends.

Special smells/sights/flavors: At the eids (festivals), there are foods from all over the world, especially with Hawai'i's diverse Muslim community. Among the dishes he likes is palio, a rice dish made with beef and raisins, which his wife makes Afghan-style, though "some people like it with sheep or goat. I like sheep, she likes goat." Also on eids, people dress up in bright new clothes, often embroidered and embellished.