Arts & Entertainment

Happy Chinese New Year: Welcome the Year of the Rabbit

Today is the start of the Year of the Rabbit. A couple of things to remember: wear red and do not flip your salmon. Find out why with these quick tips.

1. Red is the color of Chinese New Year. Expect to see lots of bright colors, like orange and yellow, anchored with red. The symbolism behind using the color red is commonly attributed to its association with fire, and fire is said to burn off bad luck.

2. A clean house is a custom for this special day. According to Celebrate Chinese New Year by Elaine A. Kule, Chinese families clean their homes thoroughly before New Year’s Day. The tradition is said to clear out the bad luck so that good luck has room to move in.

3. Among the traditional Chinese food for New Year’s Day are dumplings. Eating sticky foods, like dumplings, is considered good luck because the stickiness is said to hold the family together. Sesame balls that expand during cooking are believed to expand your good fortunes. Learn more about these traditional foods and others in this Kaboose article on the foods of Chinese New Year. 

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4. Don’t turn over your fish when eating at a Chinese restaurant. It is considered bad luck. Find out why, and learn other Chinese eating etiquette in this CNNGo article. Impress your friends with your Mandarin manners at your next Chinese restaurant meal.

5. The celebration, which is considered to usher in Spring, lasts about 15 days, ending with the Festival of Lanterns. Lots of music, dancing and light shows are common at the close of Chinese New Year. Happy Year of the Rabbit!

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