CNY Must Do’s – Behold the definitive guide to 5 must do’s to make the best of the Chinese New Year. Whether you’ve been in Hong Kong for years or just a few months, you’ll want to make the best of Chinese New Year simply because it’s inescapable! It’s the biggest tradition that takes almost the entire Asian continent by storm, so read on to find out how to make the most of your holiday and start the Year of the Dog right.
6 CNY Must Do’s in HK
Eat lots of delicious Chinese New Year food
Most food eaten during Chinese New Year is chosen for its phonetic similarities to a Cantonese homonym. For example, fat choy, a type of algae that resembles black hair, is served because it sounds very close to the Cantonese word for prosperity.
16th Feb | Join the parade
The International Chinese New Year Night Parade is an eye-popping spectacle with magnificent floats and spectacular performances by local and international acts welcoming Chinese New Year with a festive energy. It starts at 8pm and goes until 9.45pm, but some warm-up acts are expected to delight spectators from 6pm onwards. The parade route goes through all major roads in Tsim Sha Tsui. Here‘s a list of the best vantage points.
Make a wish on the Lam Tsuen Wishing Trees
Located in Tai Po, Lam Tsuen’s Wishing Trees have long been an attraction for those wanting good fortune in the New Year. In the past, wishes were made by writing your name, date of birth and wish on a yellow piece of paper, which would then be thrown up onto the tree. The higher the branch that the wish landed on, the more likely that your wish would come true. This practice was phased out in 2005 when a falling branch injured an elderly man and a child. Nowadays, wishes are made through tying joss paper to a nearby wooden branch or a plastic tree. You can also attach your wish to a floating lotus flower or to a mandarin orange.
Visit the Flower Market
In this desert of towering skyscrapers, the Flower Market in Kowloon is a blooming oasis. The atmosphere gets especially exciting in the run up to Chinese New Year, as that’s when families need to fill their homes with plants that will act as magnets for good luck. Orchids are known to attract fertility and abundance, while plum blossoms are for endurance and courage. As far as CNY must’s go, it doesn’t get prettier than this.
Give out lai see
If you’re married or in a senior position at work, ready your crisp banknotes or withdraw them from ATMs from all over the city, because lai see stuffing is definitely a CNY must! There are lots of rules when it comes to the tradition of lai see gifting, but the main point to remember is that it’s usually from big to small. If you manage a team, you’re expected to give lai sees to your subordinates. If you live or work in a building with doormen or cleaners, now’s the time to show your appreciation for their hard work! Pro tip: carry envelopes with different amounts around – what you give a family member will probably be different to the amount you give to building security. Put them in different designs or colours so you can easily differentiate.
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