Chinese New Year

Chinese New Year 2018 falls on 16 February and will signal the beginning of the Year of the Dog. Marking the end of the winter season and signalling a fresh start, Chinese New Year is one of the most important and traditional holidays in China. Find out how you can spread good fortune with lucky red envelopes, avoiding the housework (no, really) and great food.

Chinese New Year traditions

Chinese New Year festivities involve Chinese people across the globe donning red and clinking glasses over a feast. Red is considered very lucky and is supposed to bring in a prosperous year ahead <here's hoping>

Red envelopes - or otherwise known as "lai sze" or "lai see", are traditionally filled with money and given to unmarried adults and children, by married couples to pass on good luck and fortune. It's OK if you've only got loose change; it really is the thought that counts.
 

Dragon dance - there are parades all over the UK. Chinatown in London is the biggest, but there are others across the country in Birmingham, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle-Gateshead, Nottingham and even Chatham in Kent. 
 

Traditional Chinese dresses (Qipao) - If you're planning on celebrating Chinese New Year, why not do it in style? Throw on your best frock (it doesn't necessarily have to be a Qipao) and paint the town red.

Lanterns - Paper painted lanterns are used to decorate the home and sky lanterns are released to mark the end of Chinese New Year celebrations, traditionally the fifteenth day and known as the Lantern Festival.
 

Feast - Chinese people like nothing more than to feast on traditional dishes with their families and friends. Forget table manners; get stuck in.  

Chinese superstitions

The Chinese like a superstition or two and are intent on following certain rules over the Chinese New Year period to avoid jinxing the rest of the year. 

Sweeping/cleaning/housework is a big no-no over the 15 days of Chinese New Year, so put your feet up and avoid sweeping away your good fortune. Before you breathe a sigh of relief, unfortunately all housework is meant to be done on New Year's Eve before the relaxing can begin.

Don't wash your hair on New Year's day. Doing so would mean washing away your luck and fortune.

Breaking dishes means bad luck, so be careful dishing out the dinner.

Wear new slippers that you've bought before the New Year, to step on those who are gossiping about you. Make sure it's new slippers, not shoes, as buying new shoes will bring bad luck; 'shoes' in Cantonese is "hai", which is the same homonym as 'rough' in Cantonese, and 'evil' in Mandarin. 

Avoid wearing black, as it's considered to be dark and evil. Stick to red, which will bring you luck.

Don't squabble, swear or talk about death over the Chinese New Year celebrations, to avoid plaguing the rest of the year. Keep smiling and mend those broken friendships.

And don't forget to wish everyone...kung hei fat choi! 

Other things you might like:

       

Quick winter soup recipes

           

Decadent chocolate cake recipes

Images: Shutterstock