7 Easy Ways to Celebrate the Chinese New Year

Chinese New Year celebrates the beginning of the New Year based on the lunar calendar, and so it begins on a different day each year. This year Chinese New Year begins on Feb. 3rd. In the ancient days of China, celebrations lasted for a month, but nowadays, most families celebrate the new year and coming of spring with a day of family gatherings, gift giving, festive decorating and the eating of symbolic food. 

Of course, you don't have to be Asian or Chinese to experience what Chinese New Year is all about. And, living in ethnically diverse Arcadia, with a high population of Asians, it is easy for everyone to partake in this international holiday. Here are seven easy ways to celebrate the Chinese New Year.

1. Learn the Animals of the Chinese Zodiac: Chinese New Year is also associated with one of the twelve animals of the Chinese zodiac in the following order: rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, goat, monkey, rooster, dog and pig. This is the year of the Rabbit, an animal believed in Chinese culture to be naturally lucky, kind, gentle, and even-tempered.

2. Clean the House: Cleaning your house allows for a fresh start and any negative energy to be swept away for a new and prosperous year.

3. Decorate the House: Red signs with the character for fu, which means luck and happiness, written on them are posted on walls and windows of the house. Buying flowers and other plants such as plum blossoms, are symbolic of spring and fresh beginnings. Lanterns are also hung around the house symbolizing the brightness of spring and the Lantern Festival which marks the end of the new year celebration on the 15th day and the first full moon of the year. These lanterns and other decorations can be found at the . Making kid-friendly lanterns is always a good time.

4. Wear Red: The color red is a lucky color and believed to ward off bad spirits.

5.  Give a Gift: Red envelopes known as “hong bao” in Mandarin Chinese or lai-see in Cantonese, are little red envelopes filled with money symbolizing wealth and prosperity for the New Year. These envelopes of luck are given to children and unmarried members of the family. Gong Hai Fa Choi, meaning best wishes and have a prosperous new year, is what one says before receiving one. Fruit such as oranges or other sweet nuts, dried fruit and sweet cakes are given among relatives and friends. 

6. Eat Symbolic Food: Some typical dishes include: a whole chicken (family togetherness and happiness), dumplings and spring rolls (shaped like ancient Chinese coins bringing prosperity), fish with head and tail (abundance), lobster (representing vitality), noodles (symbolizing longevity), oranges/tangerines (abundance and happiness), pomelos (prosperity and abundance), lotus seeds (having lots of children), nian jiao (sticky-rice-flour dessert for prosperity), duck (fidelity), and eggs (fertility).  

7. See a Dragon Dance: Dragon dances are rituals performed by dancers wearing an intricately decorated dragon costume and dancing to the sound of drums and chimes. This ritual is believed to keep bad spirits away. Explosive firecrackers are lit to scare away bad spirits as well. You can see for yourself at the mall on Feb. 12 during the Spring Festival celebration hosted by the Arcadia Chinese Association.