Chinese New Year

Xīn nián kuài lè! (Happy New Year!)

Yesterday, I held my Annual Chinese New Year’s Eve Potluck dinner. Everyone brought a tasty dish and we ate with gusto.



Spring rolls, dumplings, and various stir fries



Chinese New Year, or the Spring Festival, is one of the most important celebrations in China as well as in other countries. The New Year falls on a different date every year because it follows a lunisolar calendar. Generally, it begins on the second new moon after the winter solstice and ends 15 days later, when there is a full moon. The Chinese calendar also contains a 12-year cycle to which an animal is assigned (i.e. the Chinese zodiac). This year, January 23, 2012 marks the end of the Year of the Rabbit and the beginning of the Year of the Dragon. (RAWR!)

Traditionally, Chinese New Year is a time to celebrate the coming of spring, to honor deities and ancestors, feast like you’ve never feasted before, and reunite with family (and friends). Each day of the New Year’s celebration consists of a different set of rituals and traditions. Like all holidays, it has changed over time, but the overall essence is still the same giving a sense of togetherness and relaxation with family and friends as well as reflections on the previous year and new hopes for the upcoming year.

Homemade green tea ice cream with whipped cream,
chocolate sauce, and a chocolate fortune cookie

Food is an important part of any celebration and, for the Chinese, like in many other cultures, various foods have symbolic meaning. The New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day dinners are a chance to try to cook up symbolic dishes and foods which will aid you in the upcoming year. Several examples of symbolic foods include:

Longevity: uncut noodles

Fertility: eggs, seeds

Wealth: oranges, spring rolls, egg rolls, dumplings

For a Sweet, Rich Year: dessert

Prosperity: whole fish