For a proper Chinese New Year celebration, you need to prepare and decorate your house in order to bring in the maximum amount of good luck.
Clean house. You need to sweep out all the bad luck so you have room for the good. Then, put away your cleaning gear, and don't plan on doing any cleaning the first day of the new year so you can keep as much of that good luck as possible.
Wear red. Red became synonymous with the New Year in China because it was believed that the color terrified the beast Nian. If you have a red outfit that is also new, even better. Avoid white, as that color represents death.
Fill your envelopes. Older guests will typically hand out red envelopes filled with money (lai see) to children or young people. You don't have to give much money, but the amounts should be given out as fresh bills in even numbers. Avoid giving away coins.
Prepare a Tray of Togetherness. The Tray of Togetherness is a mix of foods served in a tray with eight compartments. Foods tend to include sweets, nuts, seeds and dried fruits.
Serve lucky foods. Serve dishes such as uncut noodles, which represent a long life. Likewise, leaving the heads on chicken and fish will bring a sense of wholeness to your meal. For wealth, prepare dumplings, as their shape resembles the money that was once used in China.
Make some noise. Fireworks are popular during the Chinese New Year because the noise frightens the evil spirits. But the noise may also attract the attention of your neighbors and your police department, so find out if you are allowed to set off something small. If you are, follow strict safety precautions and keep children away from the firecrackers.
On Chinese New Year, each activity has its own meaning. Try any of the above, or start setting your own traditions to start the new year off right.
 | The Chinese New Year is similar to the western new year in that it represents a fresh start, but it also emphasizes bringing the family together. Other Chinese New Year traditions include naming the year after an animal, wearing the color red and giving out packets filled with money. |
 | From the food to the way the home is prepared, many Chinese New Year customs and traditions help bring in prosperity and happiness at this important holiday. Generally held at the end of January or the first of February (depending on the Chinese calendar), Chinese New Year is a time when people shed the old and welcome the new. |
 | The Chinese New Year dragon dance takes place at Spring Festivals all over the world. This dance requires preparation, from the costume to learning the moves, but, if done right, a dragon dance can bring you good luck. |
When it comes to celebrating the New Year, I'm all about the philosophy of "out with the old and in with the new." I say, why limit myself to just one big bash when I can drag it out for about 2 weeks? |
The history of Chinese New Year may have originated with end-of-harvest celebrations. At these celebrations, the farmers and citizens would offer prayers of thanks to the gods for good harvests and prayers of petition for a good crop in the coming year. Some of the Chinese New Year customs became official during the Han Dynasty, which lasted from 206 BC to AD 25. |
