Happy New Year – The Year of the Ox!

Chinese New Year’s day,  農曆新年的第一天 or 初一 ) this year falls on Friday, 12th February 2021. I would like to wish you and your family a Happy Chinese New Year – the Year of the Ox!

Chinese New Year, which is also known as the Spring festival, is one of the most important days for many decedents of Chinese families all over the world.

Normally, this is the time where most families will be travelling back to their home town to celebrate with their families.  There will be huge celebrations throughout the Chinese community for 15 days, with lighting of firecrackers, enjoying amazing traditional feasts with family and friends, and on Chinese New Year’s day,  we will give our children (the unmarried ones) a red packet each to wish them good luck, good health and prosperity for the new year.

So how are you celebrating Chinese New Year this year?

With the current Covid19 pandemic happening throughout the world, many people living overseas are unable to travel to be with their families to celebrate. However, that does not mean we can’t celebrate locally with our own family and friends? Right?

Why?  Because I always believe that traditions travel with people! So no matter where you are in the world, you will never lose touch of your roots; so everyone will still continue to share their culture with their children and friends in their own ways.

If you are active on social media, you can already feel the Chinese New Year’s joy and spirit being shared among friends and families, with the sharing of their traditional new year cakes and sweets, Chinese New Year decorations and continually communicating with each other.

Even right now while I am writing this blog post, there are already many families starting to stock up on the cakes and cookies baking ingredients or already asking friends and families to make for them their beloved Chinese New Year snacks.

So no matter where we are in the world, we can still keep up with the traditions and share our culture and traditions with our own families and friends in our adopted home country, and enjoy Chinese New Year together.

Wishing you and your family a Happy Chinese New Year. May the year of the Ox bring you and your family happiness, health and prosperity.

Here are a few articles I wrote in previous years about Chinese New Year:

> 5 common Chinese New Year rituals that we still practice

> Why are Traditions and Cultures Important to Families?

>Traditional Chinese New Year Steamboat the Australian way

> Why is it important to share your culture and traditions with the next generation?

> The ritual of giving and receiving red packets during Chinese New Year

> How to keep up the Chinese New Year traditions with your young family living in a new country?