How to celebrate Lunar new year

Tomorrow night, celebrations for the Lunar new year begin, as we welcome a fresh start and the year of the Ox. Here, CODE’s marketing consultant Roxy Yuen shares how to celebrate the Spring Festival, including the unlucky do’s and dont’s and what to eat for a prosperous year ahead.

Lunar new year – aka Spring Festival – is probably the biggest and tastiest holiday in my calendar. It marks the end of the coldest days (ciao Beast from the East II), with practically all festivities serving the purpose of removing the old (ugh, 2020) and welcoming the new. 

The excessively long list of auspicious do’s and unlucky dont’s meant that my week has been spent spring-cleaning to sweep away the bad luck and make room for the good, while preparing enough food for a large family (mind you, I live alone). Both were to avoid having to lift a finger on New Year’s Day, a big no-no in LNY custom… alongside bans on haircuts and using knives or other sharp objects for fear of cutting your stream of wealth and success! 

New Year’s Eve dinner is usually the main event for families to gather and feast. Although a virtual affair this year, we can still have a menu of special dishes to give blessings of good fortune for the next year. So, here’s some LNY meal inspiration for a great Year of the Ox:

Spring rolls: celebrate the coming of spring, eaten on the first day of Lunar new year

Dumplings: not only are they shaped like ancient Chinese silver and gold ingots, they also symbolise the exchange between the old and new year

Super long noodles: aka ‘longevity noodles’, which you’re not allowed to cut (or chew even). The longer the noodle, the longer your life will be – there will be a lot of slurping from me

Fish: symbolises surplus and wealth

Lobster & Shrimp: endless money rolling in

Roasted pig: peace

Duck: loyalty

Peaches: longevity

Tofu: happiness and fortune for the entire family

恭喜發財, 萬事勝意, 出入平安

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