What is Chinese New Year and When is it?
This is a festival that celebrates the beginning of a new year according to the Lunar Chinese calendar. In Chinese culture, and some other Asian countries, it is commonly referred to as the Spring Festival. The Lunar Chinese calendar determines the date of Chinese New Year. It defines the lunar month containing the winter solstice as the eleventh month. This year, Chinese New Year starts on February 12. Chinese New Year is observed as a public holiday in Hong Kong. The first three days of CNY are public holidays.
How do they celebrate Chinese New Year in Hong Kong?
Christmas and Chinese New Year are the most popular festivals in Hong Kong. However, the New Year is a particularly special event. Families join together to have dinner on the eve of Chinese New Year, and also go visit their friends and relatives during the holiday celebrations.
What is a Red Pocket (Lai See*)?
A Red Pocket offering is probably the most traditional practice in Chinese society to observe the Chinese New Year. A Red Pocket always contains money, and is most commonly given to kids from their parents, grandparents, and others as Chinese New Year gifts. This gift means that they are wishing for health and wealth in the New Year for that person. They are called *lai see* in Cantonese.
What do you eat during Chinese New Year in Hong Kong?
One of the must-eat foods during the festival is *law bok goh*, also called radish cake or pudding. It is also a regular dim sum item and is believed to bring good “goh* or ‘higher year’ in Chinese. It is traditional to eat different kinds of cake each year to symbolize raising oneself higher.
What are the traditional activities that celebrate Chinese New Year in Hong Kong?
On the eve of Chinese New Year, many districts have flower markets selling seasonal flowers like Cherry blossom. Many families visit a flower market after the family dinner. People will go out to visit friends and relatives during the Chinese New Year festival. On the second evening of the festival, there are fireworks at Victoria Harbour. The third day is marked with horse racing. People in Hong Kong will also visit various temples praying for blessings throughout the holidays. A traditional Lion Dance can be seen everywhere during this harmonious festival. It is a form of traditional dance in Chinese culture, and other Asian cultures, in which performers mimic a lion's movements in a lion costume to bring good luck and fortune. This Lion Dance is also performed during other Chinese traditional, cultural and religious festivals.
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