Chinese New Year Traditions

The Chinese New Year celebration begins on the second New Moon after the Winter Solstice.

• 2010 is the Year of the Golden Tiger

• 2009 was the Year of the Ox

• 2008 is the Year of the Brown Rat

• 2007 was the Year of the Pig (or Boar if you prefer)

• 2006 was the Year of the Dog

• 2005 was the Year of the Rooster, the Green Rooster actually.

• Chinese New Year's celebrations last 15 days.

• On the final night of the 12th Lunar Month, Chinese families stay awake all night. At midnight they set off firecrackers to scare away evil spirits and eat crescent shaped dumplings to ensure prosperity in the New Year.

• Decorate your house with fresh flowers, plates of tangerines and oranges, and a candy tray with eight varieties of dried fruit.

• On the first day of the New Year, children receive gifts of money in red envelopes. Good news! Cleaning today is bad luck.

• Day Two is a special day for dogs.

• Days 3 and 4 are for visiting family.

• On Day 5, stay at home. Visiting is bad luck.

• More visiting on Days 6-10. Take bags of tangerines and oranges as gifts.

• On Days 7 & 11: Eat noodles to ensure long life and raw fish (sushi) for success.

• On Day 13, eat simple, cleansing foods such as rice congee and greens.

• On Day 15, the Night of the First Full Moon of the New Year, the Lantern Festival brings Chinese New Years celebrations to a close. On this night, people dress in white in honor of the moon, carry paper lanterns, and eat dumpling balls made of glutinous white rice. This is also the Chinese Valentine's Day, when lovers exchange gifts.

• Here are some suggestions for your celebration: Chinese New Year Traditions...

• New Year Traditions from San Francisco's Chinatown

Chinese New Year Toast:

Gung Hey Fat Choy
"Wishing You Prosperity and Wealth"

Traditional Chinese New Years Recipes:

This Chinese New Year's Cake calls for sesame seeds, red dates, and rice flour.

Here's another, simpler recipe for Nian Gao, Chinese New Year Cake, without the dates and candy.

Chinese New Year fun for Kids...

More fun...

• Make Paper Lanterns and Dragon puppets and Red Coin Envelopes

• Play a Musical Lantern Game

• Chinese New Year Chocolate Candy

• Chinese New Year Crafts (make your own dancing paper dragon or lion)

• More about Tigers

• Recipes for Long Life Noodles:
  Traditional
  With Poached eggs
  With Green tea (Vegetarian)

• Chinese Dumpling Recipes

• Recipe for Glutinous Rice Balls