6 Steps to a Lucky Chinese New Year

Chinese New Year brings forth celebrations throughout the world. Chinatowns from London to New York, and all the way to Singapore will be filled with parade attendees enjoying dancing dragons, flexible acrobats, and dynamic fireworks displays.

Chinese New Year also brings about a fresh start for those wishing for a better year ahead. There are many traditions that help to bring about a fortunate year. Here are six of the most popular steps to ensure a lucky Chinese New Year:

1. Displaying and Eating Citrus Fruit
Eating or displaying citrus fruits represents good health and a long life. It’s common to see Chinese families with oranges and tangerines throughout their homes. They are also given as gifts. The pomelo, produced mostly in the United States and China, is said to bring luck and status. It is the biggest of the citrus fruits and has a sweeter taste than its relative, the grapefruit. Try adding pomelo to a fruit salad or a variety of Asian dishes.

Red Lanterns

2. Cleaning and Decorating Your Home
Cleaning your dwelling before the New Year is a must for any Chinese family. It’s believed that this ritual sweeps away the bad luck of the past year. All cleaning items are to be put away after the cleaning, as it’s bad luck to use them on New Year’s Day.

It’s also important to decorate your residence to welcome in the New Year. It’s especially lucky to use red décor. Placing flowers throughout the home is customary. Peach blossoms represent good luck and narcissus helps bring prosperity. The decorating isn’t limited to the interior of the residence. It’s equally important to place banners around the doorway. The most common symbols on the banners are a “door god” or the Chinese character fu for blessing.

3. Eating For Luck
There are plenty of options for dining on Chinese New Year. Jiaozi (Chinese dumplings) are eaten right after midnight to give family members good luck for the upcoming year. The dumplings are filled with ground meat and vegetables.

Jai or “Buddhist delight,” is a vegetarian dish. Many Buddhists use it for purification during the first few days of the New Year. The ingredients range from lotus seeds and bamboo shoots to cabbage and fried tofu.

Common on every plate will be long noodles (uncut), which are said to bring a long life to the person who consumes it.

4. Red Money Envelopes
Red is the color of luck for the Chinese New Year. It is also the color of money or treat envelopes that are given to children. It’s also common for red envelopes to be given to the unmarried by the married. The amount given has an important significance too. For luck, an even number is most common.

NYC Building

5. Fireworks Celebrations
Wearing newly purchased traditional Chinese clothing—typically in red and gold for luck and prosperity for the New Year custom. Parades in Chinatowns across the globe will be filled with a sea of red attendees gather to celebrate. According to tradition, costumed dragons, dancing lions, and exploding fireworks scare off evil spirits. While many government have banned fireworks for personal, professional displays continue in cities with significant Chinese populations.

6. Greeting with “Gung Hey Fat Choy”
Be sure to wish everyone a ‘Gung Hey Fat Choy,’ which translates to wishing others prosperity and wealth.

Minor updates and edits were made from the original article.

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Gennaro Salamone is the founder and editor of Enduring Wanderlust. Please contact him with questions regarding article or photo submissions.