Chinese Festivals

Chinese New Year

It is the most important festival for Chinese. There is one special animal symbol to represent each lunar year. These special animal symbols include rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, money, rooster, dog and pig. These animal symbols will be repeated for every 12 years.

On the New Year’s Eve, families gather to have a reunion dinner. All the dishes in reunion dinner must be chosen carefully and seriously to attract special blessings for the family.

This festival is a time of renewal, and the time that new clothes are bought and debts are cleared. Shops and homes are decorated. Lion and dragon dances are held to celebrate this festival. Also, during the holidays, people will visit or be visited by their relatives or friends and make a formal greeting " Gong Hei Fat Choi". Couples will give people who are single a pair of red packet with lucky money.

In Hong Kong, the most spectacular firework is firework display which is held on the second day of Chinese New Year. The fireworks fill the night sky with colorful flames and it attracts huge crowds to watch.

Gao (steamed rice cake) is one of the main food in Chinese New Year. It means the person will achieve a higher status in a new year. Another food called "fai choi" means prosperity. There is also a wide range of mouthwatering food such as deep fried dumplings carrying different kinds of blessings.