“Everything I’ve Learned Hosting (And Being a Guest At) Lunar New Year Dinners”

Don’t hang up your festive outfits just yet. There is still one celebration yet to take place: Lunar New Year.

Growing up, Lunar New Year was the major cultural event for my family. It was Christmas, Easter, and New Year’s all wrapped up in one. Extended family would flock over from Hong Kong or interstate to gather and celebrate with a full day of eating, drinking, and handing out lai see (red packets).

An estimated 2 billion people worldwide celebrate Lunar New Year, primarily those in East and Southeast Asia. In the Western world, the year follows the Gregorian calendar, based on the Earth’s movement around the sun, but in many Asian cultures, the calendar year is led by the moon – known as the lunar cycle. This year’s annual cycle begins on January 29, 2025 – the day after the winter solstice, welcoming the beginning of spring.

It’s a common misconception that Lunar New Year is viewed as either a Chinese celebration or a culturally rich tradition throughout Asia. In fact, it’s somewhere in the middle. A multitude of Asian countries celebrate this important cultural event, but not all do. Depending on where you’re from, the celebration is referred to differently: China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, Philippines, Indonesia, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Brunei, Macau (Spring Festival), Vietnam (Tết - short for Tết Nguyên Đán), South Korea, North Korea (Seollal), Tibet (Losar), and Mongolia (Tsagaan Sar).

Lunar New Year, or as I know it, Chinese New Year spans 15 days of celebrations. There are many ways to mark the beginning of an auspicious year, but the most anticipated (and fun) part is through feasting. Chinese people have always had an emotional connection to food – it’s the way we show love, and care, and how we mark key moments in life. Moreover, it’s a universal cultural practice that anyone can connect to.

But before you sit down for a decadent meal with family and friends, here’s how you can prepare for the turn of the year.

Clean your house

Ever wondered where the term ‘spring cleaning’ comes from? The practice has ancient roots observed by Jewish, Iranian, and Chinese people. Each inserts their own customs and religious beliefs, yet the central concept remains the same.

For Chinese people, this is an important feng shui practice that symbolizes “sweeping” out the old to welcome the new and making way for good fortune and prosperity. So, if you’ve been thinking of doing a deep clean or rearranging your furniture, this is the time to do it.

Tip – Always clean before the new year instead of after to avoid sweeping out your good fortune. So, pencil January 27 into the diary for some scrubbing, vacuuming, and tidying.

Wear something red and decorate your home

There’s a reason why red is associated with Chinese culture. Red represents luck, wealth, and prosperity. Ahead of the new year, it’s customary to start the year fresh with a new piece of clothing – preferably red or even gold. Decorating your home with pockets of these colors also continues the theme of good luck.

In line with ushering in the new year, other practices include getting a haircut ahead of time. It’s considered bad luck to cut your hair after January 29 as it’s believed you’ll cut off your wealth, due to the similar pronunciation of the Chinese characters ‘hair’ and ‘developing wealth’.

Figure out your Chinese Zodiac

For many Chinese people, it is the Chinese Zodiac, not Astrology, that predicts your year ahead. In Chinese Zodiac, there are twelve animals, each possessing their own personality. Unlike Astrology where star signs are determined by birth month, your animal is determined by your birth year. The 12 animals rotate in a 12-year cycle, and this Lunar New Year, we celebrate the Year of the Snake.

Contrary to what you might think, it’s considered bad luck when it’s your year; you’re seen as offending Tai Sui, the God of Age, and therefore are slightly cursed. You can combat this by wearing red and jade accessories. However, not all is lost; generally, there are moments of good luck – just be advised to take caution across the board.

Give Out Lai See or Hong Bao (Red Packets)

It’s customary for elders or married couples to gift red envelopes filled with a crisp, even numbered money note to younger family members, neighbors, and colleagues. The act expresses well-wishes and good luck to family and friends. Dating back to the Chinese Han Dynasty (206BC to AD220), it is a traditional act that is prominent across various occasions including birthdays, graduations, and marriage.

Be mindful to:

Accept with two hands as a sign of respect.
Do not open the hong bao in front of the giver.
Gift within 15 days of celebration.

Symbolic foods to usher in good fortune

The above practices may be new to you, but one celebratory aspect that is universally understood is the act of sharing a meal with your loved ones. Chinese New Year is associated with indulgence; therefore, a lavish dinner with many dishes must be prepared well in advance. We like to attribute meaning to our foods – many representing who we want to be and what we wish upon ourselves (that’s right, even our food is spiritual). For New Year celebrations, there are traditional dishes that should be eaten to continue our good luck.

For my family, we grew up seated mostly around a round table, a format that promotes equality and the chance to converse with family easily. I preface this by saying, that there is no ‘right way’ to prepare a Chinese New Year meal in order to bring you the most luck, but there are some dishes where you can’t go wrong.

First up is spring rolls to celebrate the ‘Spring Festival’ (another term for Chinese New Year). Next up, dumplings: these pork, prawn, or vegetable-filled delights are shaped like golden parcels, representing wealth. Besides being delicious, it’s also a great dish to gather your guests and make together.

Following dumplings, always serve a noodle dish – a symbol of longevity (also a must-have on the menu for a birthday celebration).

For the main course, look to serve a whole fish, a symbol of abundance. I personally love to celebrate Chinese New Year with crispy Peking duck pancakes rolled together with slices of spring onion, cucumbers, and a sliver of hoisin sauce. The remainder of the duck slices can be tossed together in a Chinese noodle dish.

Finally, for dessert, you can have tong yuen – delicious little round glutinous rice flour balls with black sesame or red bean paste filling, served in soup or syrup, or simply serve sliced oranges – the ultimate sign of a Chinese mother’s love.

Wish your friends and family a Happy New Year

Two phrases you can learn as a sign of respect:

Gong hei fat choy (恭喜發財): Means "Wishing you happiness and prosperity" in Cantonese.
Xīnnián hǎo (新年好): Means "New Year Goodness" or "Good New Year" in Mandarin.