Chinese New Year Events Chinese New Year is a significant festival for the people and cultures following Chinese Lunar Calendar. The Chinese New Year celebrations spans for 15 days, starting from the New Moon on the first day of the Lunar year of the Chinese calendar and ending on the full moon about 15 days later. The celebrations are not limited to China alone but witnessed in other countries and territories following the Chinese calendar. Places with sizeable population of Chinese people such as Hong Kong, Thailand, Macau, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Mauritius, Taiwan, Singapore and even the rest of the world like California, India, Paris, Vietnam and others have special Chinese New Year events lined up to usher the festival. California Chinese New Year Festival is a major highlight in the California’s calendar of annual events and holidays. The country has the tradition of organizing a parade this day. It is believed to be the oldest and largest cultural event of its kind in North America to celebrate the Chinese New Year. The parade is taken through two major streets- Grant and Kearny Streets. The festival is celebrated with much fervor and pomp. The history behind the parade goes back to the 1849 when several people migrated to San Francisco for the discovery of gold. Among the migrants, a lot of them were Chinese who came to work in the gold mines and seek a good fortune. In 1860s, San Francisco Chinatown residents became friendly with the Chinese migrants and wished to share their culture. The Chinese organizers chose to do a parade to exhibit their culture and since then the parade has been continuing on the Grant Avenue and Kearny Street with people beating drums, lighting crackers, holding colorful flags, banners and lanterns in hand to drive away evil spirit. South East Asia Chinese New Year is one of the most notable events and a public holiday in Malaysia and Singapore’s calendar of festivities. A host of celebrations are lined up to make merry on the day. The Chinatown celebrations are the major highlights of the festival and worth capturing when in South East Asia. Different types of events are planned each year for raising toast to a brand new year, notably in Penang and Klang. A festive street bazaar, a lion dance competition and night stage shows at Kreta Ayer Square were organized in 2010. A prominent feature of the Chinese New Year celebrations is the Chingay Parade, which is held as an annual street parade in Singapore. People come out on the streets with colorful floats and keep street audiences engaged and amused with their wide variety of cultural performances. Sometimes, dance competitions, multi-ethnic performances and a fireside party are organized as part of the parade. Chinese residents in Philippines celebrate the Chinese New Year with much gusto. It is a significant festival in their annual event calendar and they wait for this day beforehand. The government of Philippines showed the significance of this day by declaring it as a special non-working holiday throughout the country in the year 2012. In Indonesia, the Chinese New Year is a big event that is officially named as Tahun Baru Imlekis. The Chinese-Indonesian people have been celebrating this day with vigor since 1999 after Suharto stepped down. The festival was declared a public holiday in 2003. Washington DC A parade is organized to celebrate the festive spirit surrounding the Chinese New Year. People come out on streets and perform dance. Live musical performances, Dragon dances, Kung-Fu demonstrations and many more entertaining events are lined up throughout the country to make the festival special for everyone. Other parts of the world The Chinese New Year is a significant event in many western cities that arrange festivities to celebrate this day. Parades are arranged in Los Angeles, Wellington, Toronto, New York City, and Vancouver. Even smaller cities with significant Chinese populations and territories historically related to Chinese immigration host celebratory events to mark the Chinese New Year. Sydney claims to host one of the largest New Year celebrations outside of Asia with lakhs of people attending and participating in the festivities in Chinatown annually. Events are lined up for three weeks, including night bazaars, store launches, outdoor evening street food stalls and so on. Opera performances, a film festival, dragon boat races, and several parades with inclusion of Chinese, Japanese, Korean and Vietnamese performers are the highlights of the Chinese New Year event in the city. Many people with roots traced back to China in India, particularly in Kolkata’s Chinatown also celebrate the Chinese New Year with a lot of zeal. Musical and dance events are arranged to celebrate the festive spirit of the day. Chinese New Year Wishes Messages Quotes Blessings Songs Wallpapers Cards Celebration Eve Events For Kids Facts History Holidays Tradition Parade Lanterns Activities Animals Calendar When Is Dragon Dance Greetings in Chinese Jokes Phrases Plants Red Envelope Reunion Dinner Invitations 15-Day Celebration Cookies Superstitions Lion Dance Crafts for Kids Masks Chinese New Year In Boston Brisbane Hawaii Liverpool London Hong Kong Vancouver Los Angeles Malaysia Manchester Melbourne Newcastle New York Sydney Singapore San Francisco Perth Thailand Seattle Taiwan More on Chinese New Year
Chinese New Year Eve It is new beginning and you would be in mood of festivity. New Year not only marks the beginning but, brings lots of rituals associated with the eve celebrations. Chinese New Year eve celebrations are the best times when you enjoy all the traditions and custom of China. You can take pleasure of the reunions dinners, traditional decorations, family visits and special rituals practiced on the Chinese New Year eve. You would surely enjoy the fire crackers and other fun activities carried on the New Year eve. Traditions of Chinese New Year celebrations Chinese New Year is based on the lunisolar calendar and this is the reason it is also known as ‘Lunar New Year’. The celebrations begin at 11 pm with various traditions and rituals of the Chinese people. The new beginning starts with honoring of ancestors and is followed by the reunion dinner. This reunion dinner is known as, “Tuan Nian” or “Wei Lu”. The meaning is gathering is families for dinner or to circle around the stove. People prepare special cuisines on this day for the New Year Eve dinner. Various Chinese dishes like sea food and dumplings are prepared. These are first offered to the ancestors and then enjoyed with the family. The ancestors are offered fruits, food, flowers, tea and sweets. The main idea is to serve their favorite cuisines. This includes dishes with a meaning. On the eve of New Year whatever food item is prepared, has a meaning behind it. These are all part of the traditions of Chinese New Year. Family gathering is the foremost priority of Chinese New Year eve. People visit their families. The adults are visited by the younger ones during the festival time. It is one of the age old traditions to meet the elder members and take the blessings for coming year. The Chinese families are closely knit. They consider themselves a group of living and dead members. Homage to the deceased members is considered very auspicious. It is believed that the ancestors would take care of the family and bless them with longevity and happiness. Unity is most important virtue on the Lunar New Year eve. It is believed that in any of the social, religious and non religious festivals the family should revamp the family values like loyalty, bond and affection. During the worship time incense sticks offered as part of New Year custom. It is not just the new beginning which is celebrated on the Eve of Chinese New Year. The Chinese people bid farewell to the old passing year and welcome the new one with the same enthusiasm and happiness. During the noon time ‘ci nian’ ceremony is performed by the traditional Chinese families. This custom is performed to enjoy the farewell offered to the old year. It is done by offering sacrifices to the heavenly gods, ancestors and also to the wandering souls to make them rest in peace. Gods of the property ‘Tu Di Gong’ who is considered god is groundwork is offered homage. Hope you have blast in the Chinese New Year eve and take pleasure of the fun moments with all your loved ones. Chinese New Year Wishes Messages Quotes Blessings Songs Wallpapers Cards Celebration Eve Events For Kids Facts History Holidays Tradition Parade Lanterns Activities Animals Calendar When Is Dragon Dance Greetings in Chinese Jokes Phrases Plants Red Envelope Reunion Dinner Invitations 15-Day Celebration Cookies Superstitions Lion Dance Crafts for Kids Masks Chinese New Year In Boston Brisbane Hawaii Liverpool London Hong Kong Vancouver Los Angeles Malaysia Manchester Melbourne Newcastle New York Sydney Singapore San Francisco Perth Thailand Seattle Taiwan More on Chinese New Year
Chinese New Year Desserts Chinese New Year dinner plays vital role in New Year celebrations. All the family members gather and sit together to have the New Year meal. Chinese New Year feast is incomplete without the Chinese New Year desserts. There are a number of traditional Chinese desserts, which you can make for the grand dinner. The recipes of Chinese New Year desserts are discussed below: Recipe of Nian Gao Ingredients: 3 1/4 cups of glutinous rice flour 2/3 cup of brown sugar 7 ounces of boiling water 1/2 cup of Chinese dates 1/2 cup dried fruit 1 tablespoon milk Water 1 tablespoon white sesame seeds 1 tablespoon vegetable oil Method: First of all, prepare the Chinese dates by dipping them in the water for 30 minutes. Get the wok prepared. Take a bowl and mix sugar and water. Now cook in microwave for 30 seconds. Cut the Chinese dates properly and separate the pits. Take a big bowl and put the glutinous rice flour and add the water of sugar in it. Add milk and make dough. Do not forget to add one tablespoon of water in every dough. Now add all the dry fruits you have. Grease the pan with vegetable oil and keep the dough for cooking. add the sesame on top. Steam the dough over medium flame for 45 minutes. The cake is ready. Allow a knife to loosen the cake and keep it in the refrigerator for some hours. Recipe of Peking Dust Ingredients: 2 pounds of fresh chestnuts 1/2 teaspoon of salt 1/4 cup of sugar 1 1/2 cups of heavy cream 4 tablespoons of caster Vanilla extract Method: Cut the chestnuts properly. Dip the chestnuts into water and boil it for 40 minutes. Let them cool and peel off the inner skin. Chop the chestnut finely. Put the chopped chestnut in the food blender and grind it. Mix salt and sugar with it and keep stirring. Prepare the whipped cream with caster and granulated sugar. Add some drops of vanilla extract into the paste. Your dessert is ready. Eight treasure rice pudding Ingredients: For pudding: 200g of chopped Chinese dates 255g can of red bean paste 450g glutinous rice 600ml cold water 40g melted lard 2 tablespoons of sugar 25g angelica Red and Green glace cherries 2 oz. of flaked almonds For syrup: 100g sugar 250ml cold water 1 teaspoon of almond essence 1 tablespoon corn flour 3 tablespoons of water Method: Mix the Chinese dates with bean paste. Wash the rice and dry it. Take a saucepan and pour cold water in it. Boil it for 25 minutes. After that add the sugar and mix. Grease the mold and keep the rice in the pan. Do not forget to even up the upper layer of the rice. Press the rice with the palm of your hand. Keep a plate over the bowl and put it on the serving bowl. Decorate with toppings with cherries. Now remove the plate and keep the pudding on steam for an hour. Reheat the pudding. Now let’s make the syrup. Mix water and sugar, boil until the sugar melts, and add the almond extract. Take a bowl and mix water and corn flour. The syrup is ready. You can add it on the top of the pudding or serve it in a separate bowl. Chinese New Year Wishes Messages Quotes Blessings Songs Wallpapers Cards Celebration Eve Events For Kids Facts History Holidays Tradition Parade Lanterns Activities Animals Calendar When Is Dragon Dance Greetings in Chinese Jokes Phrases Plants Red Envelope Reunion Dinner Invitations 15-Day Celebration Cookies Superstitions Lion Dance Crafts for Kids Masks Chinese New Year In Boston Brisbane Hawaii Liverpool London Hong Kong Vancouver Los Angeles Malaysia Manchester Melbourne Newcastle New York Sydney Singapore San Francisco Perth Thailand Seattle Taiwan More on Chinese New Year
Chinese New Year Decoration Imagine New Year without decorations…it would be very dull and boring. Here are some very unique Chinese New year decorations for you turn the ambience into magical atmosphere. The Chinese New Year decorations are done with handmade items. The Chinese people are very creative by nature and believe in preparing the decorative pieces at home. But, with the changing times people prefer shopping and getting the readymade decorative items from New Year stores. Chinese New Year Decor Ideas Chinese traditional lanterns are one of the very popular New Year decorations pieces. These red colored paper lanterns have traditional significance and are hung as, decorative pieces on either side of the walkways. The streets of China are adorned with these beautiful lanterns which are also, made with cloth and frills. The lanterns are not just used to illuminate the places but, it is considered to wade off the evil spirits. The door and walls are adorned with paper cuttings and couplets. You can either get messages hung on the windows or can opt for couplets written on satin or velvet red fabrics. Depending on the animal year of the Chinese calendar you can make the decorative pieces. Cut out figures of the various animal shapes can be part of the decorations for Chinese New Year. You can also, opt for dragons and lion made of colorful paper and hang them around on the walls for your home and shops. For the dinners you can try out special table centerpieces. You can use floating red and gold colored candles. You can also, opt for various shaped candles for the table decorations on Chinese New Year. Placing fresh oranges, tangerines and gold coins can also be very interesting option for adoring the tables. For this you can use simple glass cylindrical vase and put some gold coins in it with twinkle light to add dramatic effect to it. Use the special floral arrangements like ‘Ikebana’ to adorn the tables and other corners of the New Year ambience. This is one of the very ancient styles of decorating the places during the New Year time in China. For simple decorations you can try seasonal flowers like peach blossoms and chrysanthemums. All these are used to symbolize good luck, longevity and narcissus. Money tree is prepared at home by yarn threads, and fake gold coins. These are hung from the branches made with the yarn. The Chinese believe that if these are placed in the right direction brings fortune and wealth. Mark the word “fu” on walls and other places of home. This Chinese word means luck and is believed to bring good luck and happiness on the New Year. Green plants and bushes are very integral part of the Chinese decorations. Bamboo shoots, pine springs and plum blossoms are very popular among these. Chinese New Year Decoration Chinese people are very fond of sweets and candies. Candy trays are part of the New Year décor. Children especially, fall for this. Various types of candies and sweets are adorned on large tray and placed on the reunion table. These are not just liked by younger ones but, even adults love indulging sweet tooth on the Chinese New Year eve. Lychee nut, coconut, peanuts, cumquat and melons are some of the favorite candy flavors. You can get tiny figurines of the animal which denotes the New Year. Place these on the tables as centerpieces or these can adorn the main table. Wishing you all very Happy and prosperous New Year! Hope you try these innovative Chinese New Year decorations to spill the magic of luck and fortune in your home. Chinese New Year Wishes Messages Quotes Blessings Songs Wallpapers Cards Celebration Eve Events For Kids Facts History Holidays Tradition Parade Lanterns Activities Animals Calendar When Is Dragon Dance Greetings in Chinese Jokes Phrases Plants Red Envelope Reunion Dinner Invitations 15-Day Celebration Cookies Superstitions Lion Dance Crafts for Kids Masks Chinese New Year In Boston Brisbane Hawaii Liverpool London Hong Kong Vancouver Los Angeles Malaysia Manchester Melbourne Newcastle New York Sydney Singapore San Francisco Perth Thailand Seattle Taiwan More on Chinese New Year
Chinese New Year Customs New Year time is the period when you can witness the different Chinese New Year customs followed by the families. People in China are very traditional and believe in lot of rituals for festivals. Chinese New Year customs include the various customary practices associated with the festival. From decorations, cuisines to costumes everything is traditional during the Chinese New Year celebrations. Here are the various traditions followed in China during New Year – Lunar New Year Traditions It is not just the New Year eve but, long before the arrival of this festival cleaning of house and shops are done by the people. It is Chinese New Year tradition to wash all the curtains and bedspreads before new beginning. The entire house is cleaned and all the waste is thrown out of the house. It is believed that this brings luck and fortune to the family. People ensure that the complete clean-up activity finishes before New Years Eve. All the family members buy new clothes and go for haircutting. Red and vibrant colors are preferred more and black is not worn on New Years Eve. Black is associated with death and considered inauspicious. This is one of the very famous Chinese new year beliefs that scissors and knives should be set aside on the New Year. The cut of knives might wade off luck and fortune. The houses and stores are painted red. More of red colored decorative items are incorporated during the festival. Window dressings and bed spreads are taken in bright colors. ‘Kodamatsu’ is prepared at home and kept at the entrance door to bring longevity to the family members. Traditions of Chinese New Year include adorning the streets with red lanterns. Chinese people create handmade decorative items to decorate the ambience. Paper and cloth lanterns are hung on the either side of walkways. This is believed to bring luck, longevity and happiness to the families. On the New Years Eve people dress like lions and dragons to participate in the huge parades which is the pride of Chinese New Year celebrations. People perform dance on the Chinese songs wearing dragon outfits made of fur and fabric. The turns and twists of the snake like dragon structures render a very magnificent view on the festive day. People write the word ‘fu’ on their walls and doors of their homes and shops. The meaning of this word is ‘luck’. It is one of the very popular Chinese New Year customs to celebrate the Lunar New Year by welcoming fortune and prosperity in their lives. During the New Year time people enjoy gatherings and prepare for the parties. Special dishes are prepared which is a part of the family dinner. Rice cakes and sweets are symbolic Chinese new year traditional cuisines. The younger family members visit the elders and exchange gifts during the New Year celebrations. Red envelopes with gold coin, fortune tree and lanterns are some of the traditional Chinese new year gifts. Wishing you all a very fortunate and prosperous new beginning! Hope you enjoyed the information on Chinese New Year customs. Chinese New Year Wishes Messages Quotes Blessings Songs Wallpapers Cards Celebration Eve Events For Kids Facts History Holidays Tradition Parade Lanterns Activities Animals Calendar When Is Dragon Dance Greetings in Chinese Jokes Phrases Plants Red Envelope Reunion Dinner Invitations 15-Day Celebration Cookies Superstitions Lion Dance Crafts for Kids Masks Chinese New Year In Boston Brisbane Hawaii Liverpool London Hong Kong Vancouver Los Angeles Malaysia Manchester Melbourne Newcastle New York Sydney Singapore San Francisco Perth Thailand Seattle Taiwan More on Chinese New Year
Chinese New Year Crafts The Chinese New Year is perhaps one of the most important of the traditional holidays for the people of China. It marks the end of winter and the beginning of spring, ushering with it new hopes and blessings. Any celebration requires good decorations so here we have for you some fun craft ideas that you can do with friends and family, that will add the spirit of festivity to your celebration. Crayon Candles: Lights play a very important role in the Chinese New year celebrations so here is a quick craft project to make your own candles out of crayons. All that you need are crayons, candle wicks, 2 Pint milk cartons and ice. Cut off the milk carton so that you have a box with an open end. Next melt the crayon over medium heat, preferably in a plastic bag in a pot of boiling water. Place the candle wick and ice in the milk box and pour the melted wax into it. Make sure the ice has melted away completely and the wax has hardened enough. Now peel away the milk carton. What you have now is a beautiful candle. The use different types of colours will make the effect even more wonderful and light up your celebrations. Fireworks Craft: Since the fire crackers were first invented by the Chinese, this fun little art piece is a nice way to pay homage to the culture and add a zing to your decorations. The materials that will be needed for the project are black or dark blue construction paper, glue, glitter preferably in bright colours like red, blue etc. In this simple project you need to squeeze the glue generously on a piece of paper, making lines with it, trying to make it a star burst pattern with thick lines. Sprinkle on the glitter on the paper and wait for the glue to dry. Once the glue is dry, dust the excess glitter off the paper. For a more popping 3-D effect you can use a yarn dipped in glue and then sprinkle glitter on the paper. Dancing Dragon Toy: One of the spectacular sights of a Chinese Festival is the huge Dragon that adorns the streets. Two people normally wear the Dragon costume and perform a dance. To bring the same spirit of festive cheer to your own celebration here is a Dancing Dragon toy. You will need coloured paper, a pair of scissors, crayons or markers, two wooden skewers, glue or tapes and an optional glitter or feathers. Draw the head and the tail of the dragon that you want to make and cut them out. Now colour and decorate them as you wish. Now fold a piece of paper in to two halves in a long way making two rectangles, now cut along the line. Now fold the paper in a manner that it looks somewhat like an accordion, after which you now have to glue the two pieces together in order to form the dragon’s body. Now glue one end to the Dragon’s head and the other to its tail, taping one skewer each to them along the way. Your dancing dragon toy is now ready. Fortune Filled Paper Cookies: All those who are fond of eating Chinese must be well aware of the fortune cookie, which contain within them a prediction. Now you can add the same flavour to your celebration and make your own fortune cookies, only this time they are made of paper. Things that you will need for these cookies are Paper, Paper cupcake baking liners, Markers, Craft glue. All that you need to do is write a fun fortune on a piece of paper place it inside the cupcake liners and then seal the edges of the liner with a craft glue so that it remains fixed in place. Now that you have so many craft ideas to get you started, indulge in them and make your celebrations a huge success. Method to make Chinese paper lantern: Ingredients: One piece of paper (8.5″ x 11″ approximately), ideally red for Chinese New Year Pencil Tape Scissors Ruler Crayons Method: Paper cutting is the most important thing here. You have to make separate cuttings for the lantern and its handle. After cutting the papers, you have to glue the strips with each other. Make sure to mark the folding areas. You can color the paper with colors or simply can take a colored paper. You can put the lantern on the table or also can present this to your family and friends. Always remember that these lanterns are solely for decorative purpose. You will need 15 minutes to make this craft. Method to make Chinese noodle fireworks: Ingredients: Macaroni noodles 2 Ziploc Baggie or Bowls Rubbing alcohol Food coloring Heavy Black Dark Blue Paper Glue Method: First of all, you need to leave the macaroni noodles for coloring, following by a drying session. Take a bowl and put the colors. Put the noodles in the bowl. Put some alcohol in it, followed by some food color. Once you will get the desired color, leave the noodles for drying. Take a paper and make the firework designs by the colorful noodles, and do nor forget to glue them with a good adhesive. You can make different designs to show your creativity. These firework designs make wonderful craft for new Year decorations. You can use different colored noodles for this. Method to make Chinese New Year fan: Ingredients: 3 sheets red construction paper Decorative foam stamps Paint brush Gold acrylic paint Glue 2 gold chenille stems 2 gold jumbo craft sticks 1 red chenille stem Method: First, you need to decorate the red papers with the painted foam stamps. Use a good glue to attach separate sheets. Fold the papers and join them together. Wrap with the chenille stems and finish it with red and gold color. These are the best Chinese New Year crafts. Apart from these, you can have innovative Chinese craft ideas on the internet. There are many websites, which can offer you creative ideas on Chinese New Year crafts. Chinese New Year Wishes Messages Quotes Blessings Songs Wallpapers Cards Celebration Eve Events For Kids Facts History Holidays Tradition Parade Lanterns Activities Animals Calendar When Is Dragon Dance Greetings in Chinese Jokes Phrases Plants Red Envelope Reunion Dinner Invitations 15-Day Celebration Cookies Superstitions Lion Dance Crafts for Kids Masks Chinese New Year In Boston Brisbane Hawaii Liverpool London Hong Kong Vancouver Los Angeles Malaysia Manchester Melbourne Newcastle New York Sydney Singapore San Francisco Perth Thailand Seattle Taiwan More on Chinese New Year
Chinese New Year Fire Crackers Can you imagine the New Year celebrations without firecrackers and light? Chinese New Year fireworks are one of the most popular and entertaining events in the world. You would surely love the thundering crackers which would spill dazzling effect on the sky. Fireworks in Chinese New Year Setting the firecrackers is one of the oldest traditions in Chinese New Year celebrations. It is one of the best fun activities where all the adults and children of China indulge to bid farewell to past year. This is also, considered a celebration to welcome the new beginning. Chinese New Year fireworks are one of the ancient events over 2000 years. When the clock struck 12 in the midnight, people greet each other, Happy New Year and announce the new beginning with fire works. People not only set fire crackers in their homes but, gather together to set and witness Chinese New Year fire crackers. On your visit to China don’t miss this breathtaking view of thundering sounds and dark sky being illuminated. Many official organizations display fireworks on large play grounds which is multicolor. People gather to take pleasure of these Chinese New Year firecrackers events with all their family members after they enjoy greetings at their home. Enjoy this deafening moments when you can witness various shapes and colors on the dark sky which is made by the beautiful fire crackers on Chinese New Year. Chinese New Year traditions for fireworks It is the time when the ancient traditions are remembered and revamped. With this a very old tale is associated. Fireworks in Chinese New Year were started in the 12th century. It was just an extension to the Chinese gunpowder used during festivals. Long ago there was a human eater beast called “Nien”. He used to come and eat people on the New Year night. The kids were targeted first by the beast. Chinese families were scared of the beast and to safeguard their children from the beast they offered food to him on New Year eve. The beast continued to trouble the people. Chinese people set off fire crackers to scare the beast. Red colored paint was used to wade off the beast and other evil spirits. There are many Chinese traditions and beliefs associated with the fireworks during New Year. One of the common beliefs is associated with the dragon. The sleeping dragon is woken up to attract the rain during the summer. Dragon welcomes rain and fosters crops growth. China being agricultural country, it becomes imperative to get rains for the growing crops. China is the largest producer and exporter of fireworks in the world. Most of the important events like New Year and mid autumn moon festivals are the times when firecrackers are worth sights. With the change in the environmental policies; people are opting for eco-friendly firecrackers. These are less noisy and emit fumes that do not affect the atmosphere. Wishing you all luck, fortune and prosperity on New Year! Hope you all enjoy the Chinese New Year fireworks with all your loved ones. Chinese New Year Wishes Messages Quotes Blessings Songs Wallpapers Cards Celebration Eve Events For Kids Facts History Holidays Tradition Parade Lanterns Activities Animals Calendar When Is Dragon Dance Greetings in Chinese Jokes Phrases Plants Red Envelope Reunion Dinner Invitations 15-Day Celebration Cookies Superstitions Lion Dance Crafts for Kids Masks Chinese New Year In Boston Brisbane Hawaii Liverpool London Hong Kong Vancouver Los Angeles Malaysia Manchester Melbourne Newcastle New York Sydney Singapore San Francisco Perth Thailand Seattle Taiwan More on Chinese New Year
Chinese New Year Costumes An important part of any important festival or an event is dressing up and Chinese New Year is no different. Among all the festivals, the Chinese New Year is quite a significant one with festivities lined up for days and preparations made well in advance to make the Chinese New Year celebrations grand and special for everyone participating in it. The festival being a traditional and auspicious one, every detail is being intricately planned and all necessary arrangements are done up much before the arrival of the day. Even the outfit is being thought of well before the day so that people can look the best when they celebrate the onset of a New Year and bid adieu to an old one. Shopping for costumes Chinese New Year Costumes are integral part of celebration and fun associated with the ushering in of the New Year and proper attention is given to make sure that they are n tune with the mood that marks this festivity. People go out for shopping to traditional shops much before the celebration begins to find costumes that can match their personality and enhance their beauty on the special traditional holiday. Choosing the costume to ring in the New Year is also quite a big thing for many people as they do not wish to end up making a fashion faux pas, look ugly and invite negative vibes on the auspicious Chinese New Year day. New clothes to welcome the New Year Dressing up in new clothes is the major norm followed by people when observing the Chinese New Year. It is believed that new clothes also bring a sense of freshness, new energy and new confidence. Since New Year signifies new beginnings and hence everyone comes out in new Chinese New Year outfits to welcome the big festive day. Bright colors are highly preferred by revelers and local people welcoming the Chinese New Year as bright tones are believed in bring in cheer, happiness and attract all the bright things of life. Red colored outfits the most preferred one The color red seems to be the top favorite of people when it comes to choosing the right outfit to welcome the Chinese New Year. It is believed by locals following the Chinese Lunar Calendar that red color can ward of dangers cast by evil forces and spirits. Bad fortune can be avoided by wearing red colored outfit on the traditional festival day. A wardrobe of every celebrator is filled with a few or at leas one red dress that can be especially worn during the New Year. Therefore, it is not uncommon to see people everywhere donning dazzling red-colored costumes everywhere. The spectacle of red-dress donning people everywhere gives a feeling that the entire city has been painted in the bright color. Gi pao – Traditional Chinese Female Costume A lot of people do not prefer buying new clothes but they try and fit into the traditional Chinese outfits to ring in the Chinese New Year. Gi pao (or cheongsam) is the traditional Chinese outfit worn by females on the New Year. During the time, when this traditional Chinese female costume for women first got introduced, it was a loose piece of clothing that can cover a women’s body but over time and with modernization of fashion trends, it got tailored to evolve as a more fitting dress. A modernized version of gi pao comes with short sleeves and a short hemline but still has conventional patterns. Chang pao – Traditional Chinese Make Costume While the females dress up in qi pao/cheongsam, the males are not left behind. They come out wearing the traditional costumecalled the chang pao (or changsan). It is a formal uniform that was worn earlier by males to official events and parties. It was in vogue before the Westernized suit took over. Chinese New Year costumes are wisely chosen to create unique impact despite having a dominant touch of the red color. These can be really complex outfits and one may not be able to manage them on ordinary days of the year and hence it is often saved for the major festival- Chinese New Year. The elegance, classic style and bright ness that traditional Chinese costumes reflect make dressing up for the occasion so much more fun. It is not just specially tailored new clothes that people wear but they also get hairstyles and makeovers to appear fully fresh and to maintain the sanctity when they ring in the New Year in grand style. Chinese New Year Wishes Messages Quotes Blessings Songs Wallpapers Cards Celebration Eve Events For Kids Facts History Holidays Tradition Parade Lanterns Activities Animals Calendar When Is Dragon Dance Greetings in Chinese Jokes Phrases Plants Red Envelope Reunion Dinner Invitations 15-Day Celebration Cookies Superstitions Lion Dance Crafts for Kids Masks Chinese New Year In Boston Brisbane Hawaii Liverpool London Hong Kong Vancouver Los Angeles Malaysia Manchester Melbourne Newcastle New York Sydney Singapore San Francisco Perth Thailand Seattle Taiwan More on Chinese New Year
Chinese New Year Celebration People following the Chinese lunar Calendar eagerly wait for the Chinese New Year, as it is one of the most significant of all traditional Chinese festivals and holidays. The Chinese Lunar New Year falls sometime from late January to early February. Preparations start several days in advance and a wide range of activities are planned during this time. The Chinese New Year celebration does not just last for one day but the festive spirit spans over for about 15 days. It is celebrated with much pomp and glory all across the country. People pay homage to various interesting Chinese traditions during the New Year. Here is a list of the few things that people do to herald the New Year Visit the Temple Most people visit the temples on the Chinese New Year to pray for good fortune, success and prosperity all through the year. People burn incense sticks before the almighty and also get their fortunes told with help from fortuneteller. Cleaning home to usher in the New Year It’s an age-old tradition of people that cleaning the house before the arrival of the New Year will help them get rid of the evil forces and sweep away bad luck that has got accumulated over the past year. Chinese New year is considered a time when good luck comes knocking on the door and hence keeping a clean house will invite positive vibes and do away with all the negative forces. After cleaning their homes, citizens hide away their brooms and dustpans in distant corners so that good luck does not get wiped out from the house. Cleaning the house on the Chinese New year and as long as the celebration period lasts is not considered good as the popular belief goes that it sweeps away the good wishes received on the significant festival day. Hence, people are relieved of their cleaning tasks for a span of 15 days. Decorate your Home Apart from cleaning, people also engage in adorning their homes with bright colors to invite good luck and positive vibes. Red being considered as the color that brings luck, most Chinese homes during the New Year celebration is found to be spruced up in bright red tones. People buy colorful and sparkling stuff to lighten up their homes and to infuse a more vibrant spirit in their houses. Attracting fresh energy with flowers and candies Most people put up beautiful, fresh flowers in their homes on the Chinese New Year as part of their belief that flowers would instill positive energy into their lives. Lotus and Mandarins are largely preferred flowers for decorating the houses as they symbolize happiness, new growth and new start. Often people are also superstitious even about the number of flowers they place in their house. Even numbers are thought to be good whereas uneven number of flowers is supposed to bring in bad luck. A tray full of candies made from coconut, candied melon, lotus seeds, peanuts, red melon seed and so on is also kept in the house. Chinese New Year Celebration Make offerings to the Kitchen God. The kitchen in a household is considered as a sacred corner and hence having the blessings of Kitchen God is considered important before embarking on a new year. Food offerings such as fruits and sweets are offered to the deity to please him from casting away any bad spell of luck. It is believed that if the Kitchen God is pleased then he goes back to the heaven and gives a good report. Dig into traditional savories on Chinese New Year's Eve. No Chinese New Year celebration can ever be complete without having a traditional dinner on the eve of the big day. Food as prepared and consumed during this time of the year also carries traditional meaning pertaining to the start of a fresh new year. Meat is avoided by most people during the first day of the year as each New Year is dedicated to an animal and hence flesh of any animal is considered to bring bad luck. People mostly cook traditional recipes such as rice cake, fish, jai, chicken, noodles, desserts, dumplings and rice. The Chinese radish is also eaten as it is symbolic of longevity, rice carry the meaning of harmony and red chilies are supposed to bring good luck. Dressing up and visiting friends and family An important part of the celebration is to get dressed in traditional Chinese clothing. People come out in bright colors of clothes to reflect happiness, joy and attract good wealth. Black is particularly avoided as it is believed to be a sign of death. Celebrators come out on the streets, visit their relatives and connect with their old as well as new friends. Chinese New Year Wishes Messages Quotes Blessings Songs Wallpapers Cards Celebration Eve Events For Kids Facts History Holidays Tradition Parade Lanterns Activities Animals Calendar When Is Dragon Dance Greetings in Chinese Jokes Phrases Plants Red Envelope Reunion Dinner Invitations 15-Day Celebration Cookies Superstitions Lion Dance Crafts for Kids Masks Chinese New Year In Boston Brisbane Hawaii Liverpool London Hong Kong Vancouver Los Angeles Malaysia Manchester Melbourne Newcastle New York Sydney Singapore San Francisco Perth Thailand Seattle Taiwan More on Chinese New Year
Chinese New Year Calendar Get hold of a Chinese New Year Calendar if you follow the customs, rituals, events and festivals as celebrated in China and other countries in accordance with the Chinese astrology. The calendar is a luni-solar calendar, meaning that the events and important dates of the calendar are determined by the cycle of the Moon and reflection of the various phases of the Moon. It is often referred to as ‘Yin Calendar’ or ‘Old Calendar’ and it is followed in several other countries other than China. The calendar is used widely for various purposes and one of the major reasons is to find out the holidays and important events that are celebrated in the Chinese culture. People following the Chinese culture consider the Chinese calendar as importance source of finding the traditional Chinese Holidays and East Asian Festivals. Some of major important festivals are the Chinese New Year, Duan Wu festival and people eagerly wait to get the New Year Calendar in order to mark the important dates on which their religious and social events fall. A calendar also helps one determine when to fix significant events as most events of life, whether pertaining to professional or personal life are observed only on auspicious dates. Marriage, ceremony relating to the birth of a baby, opening of a store and all relevant events are generally fixed only after determining the auspicious dates on which the movement of the Moon and planets are favorable. Relevant Facts of Chinese calendar There are 12 months in a Chinese calendar, with each month consisting of 29 days or 30 days. New cycle of the moon shapes up the each month and hence all the events in a particular month are determined by the various phases of the Moon. The calendar is based on the traditional Chinese astrology and differs from the modern Gregorian calendar as followed in most Western countries. Resultantly, the festivals as celebrated in accordance with the Chinese New Year Calendar fall on a different date each year when compared against the modern day calendar. Chinese New Year also falls on a different date of the year as plotted against the modern day Gregorian New Year celebrated in most countries. The date is determined as per the cycle of the Moon and hence the New Year can fall anywhere between January-end to the mid-February. Each year as per the Chinese calendar is named after an animal and every animal get their turn only after every 12 years. A major cycle of 60 years is completed when five cycles of 12 years dedicated to 12 animal signs are over. Chinese Festival Calendar Annual Chinese calendar come marked with major festivities and events as celebrated in the Chinese culture. Most important festivals are the New Year's Day, Spring Festival, Qingming Festival, May Day, Dragon Boat Festival, Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day. These events are celebrated with much pomp and fanfare. Each of the festival as marked in the calendar carries their own significance. While some are declared as public holidays, there are quite a few ones in which private and public offices continue to remain open but small get-togethers and gatherings to celebrate these events are carried out every year. The major seven festivals are celebrated across China and other parts of the world too where Chinese culture and Chinese calendar is followed. People go on vacations only after finding out the important days of festivities that are marked in a Chinese calendar. Hence, getting a calendar with all relevant Chinese festivals and events marked is also important for a person to plan holidays in advance. When in China or in any region following the Chinese culture, a person would have to refer to the Chinese calendar to note the festivities celebrated in a year. There are a few important events marked in a Chinese calendar when full-day offs are not allowed but officials are given a half-day leave to commemorate significant political, religious, historical and social events influencing the Chinese culture. Some of these days when only a half-day off can be observed includes Women's Day, Children's Day, Youth Day, and Army Day of the Chinese People's Liberation Army. Besides, there are other festivities for which no off days are granted like the International Arbor Day, Teachers' Day, Anniversary of the Founding of the Chinese Communist Party, Nurses' Day and Journalists' Day. Chinese New Year Wishes Messages Quotes Blessings Songs Wallpapers Cards Celebration Eve Events For Kids Facts History Holidays Tradition Parade Lanterns Activities Animals Calendar When Is Dragon Dance Greetings in Chinese Jokes Phrases Plants Red Envelope Reunion Dinner Invitations 15-Day Celebration Cookies Superstitions Lion Dance Crafts for Kids Masks Chinese New Year In Boston Brisbane Hawaii Liverpool London Hong Kong Vancouver Los Angeles Malaysia Manchester Melbourne Newcastle New York Sydney Singapore San Francisco Perth Thailand Seattle Taiwan More on Chinese New Year
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