It's actually the red color that is more symbolic, not the money inside, but I think kids would say otherwise.' There will be major traffic jams and the arrival time can be delayed for hours, but getting home to see the parents, siblings, and relatives is the ultimate goal.' Exchanging red envelopesĬhinese New Year is the season of red envelopes, which are given to children by older relatives and filled with cash, known as Ya Sui Qian, or 'lucky money.' According to Yen, 'typically, adults give these red envelopes to children with money inside to bring good luck. For many, it's the only time of the year when people can travel home and spend time with their families.Īs Hsiung-Blodgett explains, 'This family event is so important - that's why you'll see news reports about millions of Chinese people heading back home to reunite with their parents and families at the same time. On Lunar New Year's Eve, people are expected to be home to celebrate the festival with their families, with celebrants gathering for a giant feast known as the reunion dinner. Lunar New Year Decorations on Amazon for Good Luck.In addition to inviting luck, the color red is also believed to denote prosperity and energy, which ward off evil spirits and negativity. 'Decorating your home with red paper cuttings, lanterns, and flowers is very popular, as red is an auspicious color,' says Yen. Decorating with redĪhead of Lunar New Year, celebrants also decorate their freshly-cleaned homes with the color red, which is said to bring good luck. 'There is even a saying Chinese people refer to when they clean up the house at this time, and that is, 'Out with the old, in with the new,'' she adds. As Yen explains, 'It is customary for families to thoroughly clean the house before New Year’s Day in order to sweep away any ill-fortune from the previous year and to make way for good luck in the new year.'Īccording to Amanda Hsiung-Blodgett, founder of Miss Panda Chinese and author of First Mandarin Sounds, a deep cleaning of one's residence is one of the most important traditions done to prepare for the arrival of Lunar New Year. Preparations for the 15-day celebration begin weeks in advance, starting with an obligatory spring cleaning. Here are the most common traditions, customs, and festivities associated with Chinese New Year.

'For the Chinese, Lunar New Year is the most widely celebrated holiday of the year as we welcome a new year hopefully filled with good health, happiness, and prosperity,' New York Chinese Cultural Center executive director Ying Yen tells Woman's Day. Since it is celebrated by Asian communities all over the world, Lunar New Year traditions can differ depending on each country and individual. What are the traditions of Lunar New Year? If you're hoping to set yourself up for good luck this upcoming new year, then you can join in on some of the following Chinese New Year traditions. Chinese New Year also welcomes a new animal from the Chinese zodiac (a repeating 12-year cycle where each year is represented by an animal and its attributes), with 2023 ushering in the Year of the Rabbit. Much like the Western New Year, people consider Lunar New Year (also commonly called Chunjie, or the Spring Festival) a chance to leave behind the troubles of the past year and improve upon the good luck that came their way. Not sure what Chinese New Year customs entail? Keep reading to learn more. Americans typically refer to the 15-day celebration as Chinese New Year, but the festival is actually celebrated by several Asian nations - including South Korea, Vietnam, and Singapore - with Lunar New Year traditions that vary from country to country. In 2023, January 22 marks the beginning of the Lunar New Year. While many parts of the world observed New Year's Day on January 1 (the first day of the year according to the modern Gregorian calendar), for countries that use a lunisolar calendar, the new year typically falls a few weeks later.

Lunar new year lanterns