4 Ways to Celebrate Chinese New Year at Home

Ordinarily, the Chinese New Year is a time for families to get together and celebrate the start of the new lunar year. Due to COVID-19, these traditions will have to be done a little differently this year, but that doesn’t mean you have to miss out on the festivities. We share a few ways you can celebrate the Chinese New Year at home!

Get Decorating

One of the best ways to celebrate at home is to get your house ready for the festivities. In the West, many families will decorate their homes for Christmas, and this is just the same! For the Chinese New Year, you’ll want lots of red decorations. According to traditions, red is associated with good fortune and wealth - two things you’ll want to attract for the year to come! As well as this, the colour red is used to ward off Nian, a legendary beast that is said to attack on Lunar New Year’s Eve. Nian is said to be scared of the colour red, so you will see streets and homes draped with red decor.

Video Calling Family and Friends

One of the main aspects of the celebrations involves seeing family and friends. The Lunar New Year is described as the ‘world’s largest human migration’, with 3 billion trips made for the celebration in 2019. In 2021, given the travel restrictions in place due to COVID, these celebrations will have to take place at home, but there are still ways for you to connect with your family and friends. Set up video calls and enjoy a virtual get-together as a family. You could stay on a call together as you enjoy a meal or play games and quizzes as a family. Stay connected with friends by sending photos or videos of your at-home festivities.

Light Sparklers

Traditionally, fireworks are a big part of the Chinese New Year celebrations. The reason for this is similar to that of the decorations - the loud noise and brightness of the fireworks is said to scare away Nian.

Fireworks displays are not currently permitted, and many people are unable to light their own fireworks at home. But, if you want to partake in this aspect of the celebrations, then some sparklers are a great way to enjoy the sparkle and sound of fireworks on a smaller scale!

Make Some Tasty Treats

As with all festivities, food plays a big role in the Chinese New Year. There are a number of dishes and ingredients that are traditionally enjoyed during the New Year festivities. You can cook up a feast to enjoy at home!

Dumplings are a much-loved Chinese New Year treat - these can be made yourself as a family activity or bought premade from Chinese supermarkets, such as Oriental Mart. The shape of dumplings is similar to old currency, and so they are seen as symbolic for good fortune for the coming year. If you would like to celebrate the Chinese New Year at home this year, then check out our range of food, snacks and drinks available online at Oriental Mart.