Lunar New Year is coming on February 12th (Year of the Ox), and the days and weeks leading up to it are meant to prepare for the end of a full year of 12 full cycles of the Moon and the start of a fresh year for many Asian cultures. Although I’m Thai-American, I have some Chinese roots in my family so we always celebrated Chinese New Year in some way. Lunar New Year has become the more inclusive term for it to include many Asian countries and cultures that celebrate.
Some common traditions include a dragon dance to send away evil spirits and giving/receiving money in red envelopes to kids or those (traditionally) before they are married as a sign of prosperity. When I was little, we would go to Philly’s Chinatown and watch the dragon dance and parade, and I always loved how colorful the street was after the fact – filled with a ton of confetti and celebratory decor. I’ll never forget that sight to this day.
If you’re looking for some fun ways to bring Lunar New Year into your home this year, here are some things to help celebrate at home with your family:
(1. Tastes of Lunar New Year Book by Big Cities, Little Foodies, 2. Wool Felt Dumpling Set by Dumpling Mart, 3. Panda Express Lunar New Year Kit (with special recipe, DIY, and aprons by me!), 4. Earrings by ArtsyShinyCloud, 5. BobaParty Red Fish Envelopes, 6. TreasureHuntWithMe Felt Lantern Decoration, 7. SweetandStickyStore Cookies, 8. YumoDesigns Stickers, 9. Wanderlust Lunar New Year ice cream.)
Do you celebrate Lunar New Year or will you celebrate this year?
(Top photo of White Rabbit Candy—a Chinese milk candy that I grew up eating)
ah thanks so much for including my little felt dumplings! my dduk + mandu sets are also a great nod to korean traditions. best wishes for a happy new year joy~
love them all Christine!
Christine: Your dumplings/bao totally caught my eye. Absolutely adorable! The bamboo steamer really completes it.
🙂
I celebrate Lunar New Year every year! I grew up in Singapore and have continued to celebrate even though I live in Houston now. Thanks for sharing these – my husband and I are having our first child this year and even though she hasn’t/isn’t likely to live(d) in Singapore I want her to love Lunar New Year as much as I do!
Yes! Love that! We are trying to figure out traditions with our kids to continue, too!
Thank you for this! My daughter is in (virtual) kindergarten at a dual-language Mandarin school and I just began looking for ways to celebrate. As someone who has never celebrated this is so helpful!
Thank you!
Yay! So glad you found it helpful Molly!
We don’t normally celebrate Chinese New Year ourselves but as New Yorkers we love getting to enjoy it in normal years through special menus at restaurants, sometimes a parade, and the fun activities our kids’ schools. This year it falls on my my birthday, and my birthday tradition is already to get Chinese food and then have ice cream sundaes. This year we’ve been doing goodie bags for the kids on birthdays (since they haven’t been able to go to any friends’ parties this year) so I think I will definitely have to get some lucky red envelopes and white rabbit candies – yum.
I love that birthday tradition! Hope you have a wonderful celebration!
Thanks for using the more inclusive term. As a Korean it’s nice to celebrate with the rest of Asia. Happy Lunar New Year!
You’re so welcome! Happy Lunar New Year!