Chinese New Year 2015: How We Celebrate

Chinese New Year is a time for families to get together and celebrate the most important time in the calendar for the country. Chinese New Year is celebrated around the world with street festivals, events and tailored products made for the occasion. This year celebrates the year of the goat: one of twelve animals in the Chinese zodiac. Characteristics of the goat include a peaceful disposition, an artistic nature and a desire for comfort rather than change. Its closest matches are the pig, rabbit and horse. 

The annual occasion is an important time for celebrating ancient traditions and remembering our roots. For example, every year we will celebrate in style by wearing new, bright coloured, clothes and new shoes, with specially prepared food for the occasion. As a rule, the house is not cleaned for the first few days in case wealth is swept away!  

Other customs include clearing any debt before the New Year, and not asking to borrow money in the New Year period.  We visit family and friends and give red packets (red envelopes with lucky money within) to younger family members and friends - it is customary that only married people hand out red packets.  Unlike greeting cards, red packets are left unsigned at Chinese New Year and are a symbol of luck. Traditional packets are usually decorated with gold Chinese characters or motifs. 

Although we always look forward to seeing friends and family around this time of the year, we do not visit friends on the third day of the New Year as legend says that would turn them into enemies.  To commemorate the happy occasion, we always make an effort to say nice things and avoid any negative thoughts and conversation. 

From all the team at the Tongdean Eye Clinic and the Liu family, we wish you all a happy and healthy Chinese New Year in 2015.