Chinese New Year, or Chinese Lunar New Year, is one of the most important traditional Chinese holidays.  The first day of the new year varies from year to year and is based on the Chinese lunisolar calendar (as opposed to the Gregorian calendar used in the West). The Lunar New Year dates from 2600 BC, when the Emperor Huang Ti introduced the first cycle of the Chinese zodiac.

Chinese New Year is celebrated in China and many other Asian countries such as: Korea, Vietnam, Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand and Indonesia.

Chinese New Year is to China like Christmas to the West. The holiday is celebrated by spending time with family, gift-giving and, most importantly, feasting on delicious food.

Expatica asked a few expat friends from China to share their thoughts about Chinese New Year and how they will celebrate the holiday far from home.

How is the New Year celebrated in China?
Holidays always involve lots of eating, drinking and playing. This is the same in China. The New Year is the most important holiday, and families usually reunite and celebrate this festival together. Each family cooks massive amounts of food and snacks. Fireworks are set off all day long, particularly at midnight. ‘Chun lian’, the traditional Chinese calligraphy written on red paper (with wishful words, sentences and sometimes poems) are hung on the front doors of houses.

How would you be celebrating the holiday if you were in China this year?
I would celebrate with family, including grandparents, aunts and uncles.

How will you celebrate Chinese New Year in your new country?

• In 2011, the new year falls on a Thursday. So it will be a normal European day here in Holland. After work, I will talk to my family via Skype with my webcam and wish them a happy new year. Later, I’ve asked a couple of friends to come over and we plan to cook together. So hopefully, we can create a New Year’s atmosphere similar to when we are home.
• I will celebrate online with family.
• Watch the “Spring Festival Gala Evening” online, the annual performance organized by the Central TV channel.

• Yes, I will miss it.
• I think I’ll be fine. The first New Year’s Day abroad is always difficult. Later on, it gets easier. Also, 3 February is a working day, so it takes the focus away.

• Check the website of the Chinese Embassy. Events for celebrating for the new year are normally shown there.
• Check gogodutch.com. This is a forum specifically for Chinese studying and working in the Netherlands.
• Check with the Chinese Student and Scholars in the Netherlands (ACSSNL). This year a theater performance is planned on 13 Feb in Theater De Muze.
• Also check NANC (Netherlands Alumni Network China)

XW / LB / Expatica