Chinese New Year

What is Chinese New Year and how to celebrate it

This year the Chinese New Year will be celebrated on Tuesday 1st February. But what can you expect? Why does the date change and how can you celebrate?

What happens at Chinese New Year?

The Chinese New Year, also known as the lunar new year, can be any date between 21st January and 20th February. This is the date of the rising of the second new moon after the winter solstice.

Year of the Tiger

Each year is associated with one of the 12 animals in the Chinese zodiac.  It is thought that the children born in the year have the attributes of the animal assigned. 2022 is the year of the tiger so those born this year will be brave, competitive and strong.

How to wish Happy Chinese New Year

In Cantonese, you can say "Gong Hei Fat Choy, which means "wishing you prosperity." In Mandarin, you can say "Xin Nian Kuai Le, which simply means "Happy New Year".

How it is celebrated?

With lots of red. Red is seen as good luck so the house can be decorated in red and gifts of money are given in red envelopes.

The house will be given a good clean to get rid of any bad luck left over from the old year.

Firecrackers are also set off to scare away evil spirits.

Where to celebrate

In the UK Manchester is where to go to see a 53m long dragon dancing through the streets.

New York holds a firecracker ceremony where around 600,000 are set off, and there are also lion dances and parades through the streets of Chinatown.

Learn To Make Traditional Chinese Food

To celebrate at home properly you could learn to make your own Chinese food.

Here are some suggestions to start your journey.

• The Takeaway Secret – Available at Amazon
• The Complete Chinese Cookbook – Available at Amazon
• My Kitchen Table: 100 Easy Chinese Suppers – Available at Amazon
• Simple Chinese Food Cookbook – Available at Amazon

Foods to bring good luck

Fish — an Increase in Prosperity.

In Mandarin, the tone for fish is contained within the word 'surplus', and a surplus is always a good thing to start the new year with.

Dumplings — Wealth

Did you know that Chinese dumplings are shaped like Chinese silver ingots with their crescent shape? The more dumplings you eat, the richer you will be!

Spring Rolls — Wealth

Spring rolls are traditionally eaten during the Spring Festival and are said to signify gold, as they are cooked until golden.

Rice Cake — a Higher Income

Glutinous rice cake, in Chinese, sounds like it means "getting higher year-on-by-year". This is taken to mean the higher you are the more prosperous your business.

Sweet Rice Balls — Family Togetherness

The pronunciation and round shape of tangyuan are associated with reunion and being together.

Noodles — Happiness and Longevity

The length and unsevered preparation of noodles are symbolic of your life.

Good Fortune Fruit — Fullness and Wealth

Fruits such as tangerines oranges and pomelos are said to be lucky as they are golden in colour, symbolizing fullness and wealth.