“Loving Island Life” Happy Chinese New Year

For many of us we think the holiday season is over but the biggest event of the year is now taking place throughout Asia. Chinese New Year is an annual celebration marking the start of the new year according to the Chinese lunisolar calendar. Chinese New Year always falls in the months of January or February, and each Chinese new year is represented by 1 of the 12 creatures of the Chinese Zodiac – 2013 is the year of the Snake. Chinese New Year is also known as the Spring Festival, and in pre-modern times it would signal to farmers in China that they must begin preparation for the sowing of their fields.

After Christmas each year, the Christmas decorations come down in all the malls, and are quickly replaced with Chinese New Year decorations of lanterns, cherry blossoms, orange-trees and lots of red color. In the lead-up to Chinese New Year distinct classical spring festival music is played in public places, most commonly the bowed stringed instrumental style.

The most important element of Chinese New Year is the reunion dinner which is held on the eve of the New Year. This is the time when all family members will come for a meal together in the parents or eldest brother’s home, or nowadays in restaurants as well. The reunion dinner spread is usually lavish, with multiple courses including dishes of chicken, pork and fish.

Gift giving is an important component of Chinese New Year, with the most common gift amongst family, colleagues and business contacts being boxes of oranges, or live orange trees. Ang-poh – little red packets with new currency notes inside – are given to children single adults and the elderly, and for children this is often the most exciting part of the celebration.

The Chinese New Year festivities officially last for 15 days, culminating in Chap Goh Mei – meaning the 15th night. Chap Goh Mei is celebrated with a family meal, music, and decorations, similar to the reunion dinner.

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