The Vietnamese Lunar New Year, also known as Tết, is one of the most important festivals in Vietnam. To wish someone a happy and prosperous new year in Mandarin Chinese, just say, " gong xi fa cai, xin nian kuai le." This translates to, "Wish you happiness and prosperity! Happy New Year!" This year, 2022, ushers in the Year of the Tiger. According to Food Network, fish signifies wealth and prosperity as the Chinese word for “fish” sounds similar to the word for “plenty.” Other traditional fare includes rice cakes, which symbolize success in one’s career oranges which symbolize good fortune dumplings, which symbolize wealth glutinous rice balls which symbolize family togetherness and reunion and long noodles that symbolize long life).Ĭhinese New Year also welcomes a new animal from the Chinese zodiac, a repeating 12-year cycle where each year is represented by an animal and its attributes. Many of the dishes served at the reunion dinner and throughout the holiday carry important meaning. The celebration concludes on the 15th day with the Lantern Festival, where children carry around lanterns and families eat glutinous rice balls together.īut the reunion dinner on New Year’s Eve is perhaps the most important event of the holiday, as it's the only time of the year many people can travel home and spend time with their families. The times have changed, but the tradition of spending the second day with the mother's side of the family is still a special custom that many families keep. According to Chinese New Year, the second day of Chinese New Year is reserved for visiting the in-laws on the mother’s side of the family, since married daughters were considered a part of the husband's family in ancient China and cannot spend Chunjie with her parents. There are different activities, traditions, food, and superstitions for each of the 15 days.
(Children are even given money in red envelopes called hong bao for protection and good fortune.) It is customary to decorate with the color red during Chinese New Year because it is a symbol of good luck. Preparations for the 15-day celebration begin weeks in advance, starting with an obligatory spring cleaning which is thought to sweep away bad luck from the past year. Lunar New Year Traditions in ChinaĬhinese New Year is known as Chunjie, or the spring festival. Lunar New Year traditions and customs, however, vary from country to country.
Much like the Western New Year, people consider Lunar New Year a chance to leave behind the troubles of the past year and improve upon the good luck that came their way.Īccording to National Geographic, Lunar New Year is one of the largest holidays in many East and Southeast Asian countries. The holiday, which typically falls between mid-January and late-February on the Gregorian calendar, is a time filled with food, family, and a little luck (you'll find out why later). Lunar New Year is the most joyous time of year for those who celebrate. "Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through the links below."
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