Gong Hei Fat Choy!
Chinese New Year (Lunar New Year) is fast approaching, falling on the 1st of February this year. With a new year, comes a new zodiac, and 2022 marks the ‘Year of the Tiger’. Chinese New Year is celebrated over the course of 15 days (16 if counting Lunar New Year’s Eve) and the celebration is an exciting time for all. Preparations commence ahead of the day, including a big spring-clean, associated with sweeping away bad luck for the upcoming year, decorating the house with red, an auspicious colour, and of course, preparing all the food!
Chinese New Year foods
There are several different foods that’ll grace the table at this time of year. Not only are they delicious but they are considered to be lucky based on their appearance or pronunciation! Symbolising wealth are the gold bar like spring rolls and gold ingot like shaped dumplings. Linked to prosperity, fish and glutinous rice cake are popularly enjoyed by families too. The glutinous rice cake is typically sweet and simple in appearance, finished with a red date. For both, their pronunciations are used as a pun, with fish (yú) similar to abundance and glutinous rice cake (niángāo) meaning year high. Noodles are also happily consumed for representing longevity and tangerines for wealth. Don’t forget to finish off with a bowl of tangyuan/tongyuen, a symbol of family togetherness.
Red Packets and Lion Dances
The most exciting time (for children in particular) is the receiving of red envelopes (‘lai see’) filled with money! Red packets are given to children, retired seniors and sometimes juniors at work, with the amount of money given varying. Often, people will avoid unlucky numbers, such as 4 (similar pronunciation to death).
Celebrate with us this year and receive a red packet when you order from our delivery kitchens! Enjoy 10% off your next visit to our restaurant!
Another particularly enjoyable moment for children and adults alike are the lion and dragon dances. These thrilling performances bring prosperity for the upcoming year and are always a highlight during the daytime. We are incredibly excited to announce that there will be an exclusive LION DANCE at our London restaurant on the 5th of February, 2:30pm-3pm! Come and join us to experience the fun of Chinese New Year in London first-hand.
Superstitions
You may have noticed that we’ve focused on all the things that are done or eaten for their link to positive future outcomes. However, this is not all! In the hope of a better year, there are also several superstitions that Chinese people are mindful not to do. On New Year’s Day, avoid eating rice porridge, washing your hair or clothes, and sweeping, so as not to bring poverty, wash away good luck or sweep away wealth. Throughout the Spring Festival, people are also encouraged not to wear black or white (unlucky colours) or lend and borrow money (linked to debt).
Key phrases
新年快樂: San Nin Fai Lok - Happy New Year
恭喜發财: Gong Hei Fat Choy – Wishing you prosperity and wealth
年年有餘: Nin Nin Yau Yu - Wishing you abundance each year
快高長大: Fai Gou Jeung Dai – Wishing that you’ll grow taller and bigger (for children)
龍馬精神: Lung ma jing sun – Wishing you great health and energy (for seniors)
步步高升: Bou Bou Gou sing – Wishing you promotions and higher achievement (for people who work)
大吉大利: Dai Gut Dai Lei – Wishing you great luck and great profits
心想事成: Sum Seung Si Sing – What your heart desires will happen
Celebrating Chinese New Year or want to participate in our celebrations? Reserve a table at our Chinese restaurant for the best Chinese New Year lunch/dinner in London or order a delivery from one of our kitchens!