Chinese New Years Trivia, Traditions and Information

Chinese New Years Fun Facts

Chinese New Years, February 14, 2010 – This is the Year of the Metal Tiger.
2012 is the Year of the Dragon, beginning Jan. 23

• To have someone in your house that was born under the Year of the Tiger is considered good luck and protection against fire, theft and evil spirits.
• New Years Greeting - Cantonese: Kung Hei Fat Choi! - wishing you prosperity, Sun nien fai lok (Happy New Years), Mandarin: Xin nian yu kuai (Happy New Year)
• The Chinese calendar is based on solar and lunar cycles so the New Year falls on a different day of the Western solar calendar each year. This Year the New Year falls on Feburary 14, 2010
• Traditionally, the days before Chinese New Years are spent thoroughly cleaning the home, preparing special foods, getting a haircut and mending old clothes. Everything is meant to look fresh and new to set the tone of the coming year.
• Decorating of the home and businesses is important and can consist of Chun lian, red  paper scrolls which are hung outside the front door of houses and businesses. The sayings are meant to bring luck and fortune to the dwelling for the coming year.
• Hongbao - Red Packets are filled with money and are given to children on Chinese New Year’s by parents, grandparents, friends and other relatives to symbolize luck and wealth.
• There are 15 days of celebration included in the Chinese New Year celebrations. The first day consists of a family meal that usually does not include any meat. The final day ends on the 15th day with The Lantern Festival, or Yuanxiao Festival. Again it is a time for families to get together. Eating of the Yuanxiao cake, which is made of sticky rice with a sweet fillilng symbolizes that the family will stick together.
• Chinese people decorate their homes with fresh, bright flowers for Chinese New Year. The homes are blooming with lots of different flowers that symbolize growth and prosperity for the coming year. Visit All Flowers and Gifts to order flowers for Chinese New Year.
• Another important decoration are fruits, especially oranges, tangerines and mandarins. They are a symbol of long friendships and happiness. At All Flowers and Gifts we have lots of fruit baskets and fruit and flowers arrangements for Chinese New Year.
• The ‘Tray of Togetherness’ is the popular candy tray and consists of an wonderful variety of some of the most delicious candies
• Firecrackers are a fun part of Chinese New Year and are set off as soon as the New Year has arrived (where allowed). Traditionally fireworks are the sign of getting rid of the old and welcoming the new.
• Dragon and Lion Dances are preformed at New Years and bring strength, luck and happiness. The Lion Dance consists of 2 people wearing the Lion costume and performing the dance while the Dragon Dance is a much larger costume and consists of 10 people. The dancing is to chase away negative energy, scare away evil spirits and brings in auspiciousness.

Kung Hei Fat Choi to all!

Stargazers to help celebrate Chinese New Years

Yellow Flowers and Oranges to symbolize long relationships and happiness