Chinese New Year Traditions
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Red Packets
itionally, red packets (Mandarin'hong bao' 紅包; Cantonese
'lai see' 利是) are passed out during the Chinese New Year's
celebrations, from married couples to unmarried people. Chinese
New Year is celebrated with firecrackers, dragon dances and
lion dances. Typically the game of mahjong is played.
Red packets traditionally consisted of amounts which were
considered multiples. Amounts like $2 (two piece of $1), or
$20 were acceptable. Similarly "multiples" such
as $1.10 and $2.20 were also acceptable. However, this is
not strictly adhered to. The gift was originally a token amount
but these days it is not uncommon to receive large sums in
affluent families. In some families this tradition has evolved
into the practice to substituting money-like instruments (stocks,
bonds, unit trust) in place of large sums of cash..
 Red
packets are also given to unmarried visitors but the sums
are often smaller than the packets given to family members
or close friends.
First New Year's Day
New Year's day is also celebrated within the family. Usually
family members gather on the morning of New Year's Day. It
is at this gathering that red packets are given to unmarried
members of the family. The age of the recipient is not material
to receiving the packets. Married couples usually give out
two red packets on the first new year after being married.
This is because the wife presents one and the husband presents
one. In subsequent years they may give one as a couple.
Second New Year's Day
The second day of the new year is usually for visiting the
family of the wife if a couple is married. A large feast is
also typically held on the second day of the new year.
Special Food
There are many foods in Chinese culture associated with the
Lunar New Year. Some examples include the following: Niangao,
Yusheng, Mandarin oranges, Whole steamed fish, Uncut noodles,
Baked goods with seeds.
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