Chinese New Year is Around the Corner!

Posted on Jan 28, 2021

As we approach Chinese New Year on February 12th, you might find it fun to start incorporating some Chinese customs into your life, too! These simple traditions can help you get ready to celebrate Chinese New Year and ring in a very lucky 2021.

Finish your spring cleaning

It’s traditional to spend the last week or so of the year thoroughly cleaning out every nook and cranny in the house. Now is the time to find the dust bunnies that have been hiding all year and leave your home sparkling. Taking the time to do a deep clean of your living space is seen to be a good way to let go of the old and welcome the new.

Relax and enjoy your clean home

It’s considered bad luck to clean your home on the first or second days of the New Year (February 12th or 13th). Any cleaning is thought to sweep out the good luck that the New Year brings! So finish your spring cleaning by February 11th, and then enjoy your rest on New Year’s Day.

Gather with your loved ones and share a meal together

Typically, New Year’s Eve is spent with family. The food included in the meal varies in different regions of China, but most agree that it’s best to serve foods whole, to keep the “whole” good fortune inside. That means that fish will arrive at the table completely intact, long vegetables like bok choy or greens won’t see a cutting board, and rice will be of the long-grained variety. Dumplings, or jiaozi, are also customary to make and eat at midnight.

Enjoy a tangerine for dessert

The Chinese word for tangerine sounds similar to the word for luck, so this is a fruit traditionally included in Chinese New Year celebrations. The orange color symbolizes gold, so eating a tangerine promises an auspicious start to the new year!

Ring a New Year’s bell

Bells are a traditional way to literally “ring in” the new year, as they’re thought to drive away bad luck and ring in good fortune. If you don’t live near enough to Chinatown to hear the big bells ringing, you can celebrate this tradition by ringing your own bells at midnight, to welcome the year of the Metal Ox.