Celebrating Chinese New Year           "Xin Nian Kuai Le!" - Happy New Year!     "Gong Hay Fat Choy!" - May Good Luck Bring you Fortune!           These are some of the expressions you hear for the next half month. Chinese New Year starts with the New Moon on the first day of the new year and ends on the full moon 15 days later. The 15th day of the new year is called the Lantern Festival.           Decorations & Preparation           Doorways of homes and businesses are decorated with red paper with 4 word phrases of happiness, wealth, longevity, fertility and good health. Red is the color of happiness in Chinese culture. Fire crackers are also hung by doorways. This is said to scare away any bad luck that may come in the New Year.           Chinese festivals, whether based on seasons, myths about gods and ghosts, or a combination of these, stem from a belief in worshipping the gods to appease them and prevent misfortune. Days before the New Year, every family is busy giving its house a thorough cleaning, hoping to sweep away all the ill-fortune there may have been in the family to make way for the good luck that hopefully comes their way.           Gift Giving           People will pour out their money to buy presents, decoration material, food and new clothing. Food gift items are probably the most popular. Cookies and candies come gift boxed just for the occasion. However, any kind of food will do, including fruits and boxed chocolates. During and several days following the New Year's day, people visit each other, with a great deal of gift exchange. Families start out with merry greetings from door to door, first to their relatives and then to their neighbors. It is a great time for reconciliation. Old grudges are cast away and debts are paid off.           Children and unmarried folks will receive lucky money (red envelopes with crisp new cash tucked inside) from their parents and from other married relatives and family friends. Upon receiving, it's rude to open it up right away. Instead, put the envelope away to open later or to be really traditional, tuck it under your pillow and save the good luck for a later date when it's needed.           The Feast and Its Meaning           The Eve of the New Year is very carefully observed. Dinner is a sumptuous feast, with all family members coming together. Chinese food is rich with symbolism and is an immensely important part of Chinese social culture. Much of the festivities revolve around food. Here are some meanings of food items.     "Nian Gao" (translated into new year cake and is made of sweet glutinous rice, brown sugar, and possibly red bean) - cohesiveness "The tray of happiness" is a circular tray of dried fruits and candies Candied melon - growth and good health Lychee nut - strong family relationships Kumquat - prosperity (gold) Peanuts - long life Lotus seed - many children Coconut - togetherness     Tangerines with leaves intact & oranges - wealth & luck     Uncut noodles - longevity     Prawns - liveliness & happiness     Whole fish -prosperity & success     Chicken (serve whole to represent completeness) - prosperity           The Lantern Festival     The last day of the two-week long celebration ends with the Lantern Festival, a traditional Chinese festival that falls on the 15th of the first month of the Chinese New Year. This festival is also a Chinese Valentine's day. Young folks celebrate the festival with their lovers by spending a beautiful and romantic evening together. Lanterns are lit everywhere and people go out to meet their friends and lovers.           Be sure to greet your Chinese friends with a happy new year!     Back to top