Chinese New Year Is Right Around The Corner (Preparations and Shopping)
31st January 2024
Chinese New Year is one of the most significant and much-awaited holidays in Chinese culture. People in this place are currently preparing for this greatly anticipated occasion. Red CNY ornaments and decorations are currently adorning street markets and stores. Yesterday, we went shopping and walked through street markets and purchased some lucky decorations. Strolling around the markets and city, it seems as though the streets are painted with festive hues for Chinese New Year, such as red, orange, yellow, and pink.
During this event, I become particularly thrilled about buying the things needed for the Chinese New Year. We visit street markets instead of shopping centers. When I go shopping with the crowd on the streets, I feel like I'm having fun and learning more about Chinese customs and culture. Moreover, I love the vibe when in the crowd. There's a sense of optimism and joy.
In Hong Kong, Chinese New Year preparations are similar to those in my own country for Christmas and New Year. As the celebration approaches, there'll be weeks of preparation, that includes general cleaning and decorating the home with red lanterns, couplets, and other decorations with auspicious symbols that bring good luck and prosperity. May I also be blessed with good fortune as I honor and celebrate this significant event.
This year is the year of the dragon. Thus, adorable dragon decorations and lanterns in a variety of styles are seen everywhere. And as far as I know, this zodiac holds a special place in Chinese culture. It's majestic and mighty even in other beliefs. So it is said to bring good fortune and prosperity. Let's hope that this year's zodiac will be a sign of good luck to all of us. Like a dragon's character, let's be determined and driven toward achieving our goals. Let's seize opportunities and embrace challenges. Let's claim it!
My favorite part when CNY is approaching is seeing flower markets full of blooming flowers in different colors. Due to their significance in Chinese New Year, flowers are a popular gift for everyone. In addition to radiating positivity, its elegant charm is also thought to bring success and prosperity. Every flower in the market has auspicious symbolism significant to Chinese culture and the CNY celebration.
Moth orchids are among the prevalent varieties seen in many flower marketplaces. They come in a variety of colors, including pink, yellow, purple, red, orange, blue, and white, and they are all lovely. But this flower is pricey; I saw a large pot of it that cost about ten thousand HK dollars. Larger sizes are more costly. Flower prices here in HK are truly surprising.
This flower is popular during Chinese New Year because it is believed to bring prosperity, harmony, and good fortune to the family. It seems that this belief is passed down from one generation to the next. In line with this, orchids are important to Chinese culture and the CNY holiday. In addition to orchids, cherry blossoms are regarded as auspicious flowers. Given that red, pink, purple, and yellow are considered auspicious colors in Chinese culture, these flower varieties are in high demand throughout the CNY season.
This is my favorite flower shop at Prince Edward Flower Market. It resembles a greenhouse with thriving green plants and colorful flowers. There are many different kinds of flowers, succulents, bonsais, and other plants there. This store sells various garden ornaments and Chinese New Year decorations on its second floor.
Cacti and succulents are eye candies. They are truly cute and pretty. Plants here are quite expensive, thought, but sure worth buying (for those with a green thumb, lol).
I remember, a few years ago, I bought a succulent in this shop to add more living creatures to my tiny room. But unlike my parents who have green thumbs, I'm just not good at caring for plants, therefore my succulent died after about a week. Since then, I've decided against buying a cute succulent because it might just die in my hands, lol. I even wanted to bring one to the Philippines.
In Chinese culture, bamboo plants are also considered lucky. Its pleasant energy makes it highly appreciated in Feng Shui. I'm in awe of this plant's endurance and toughness. At home, we have a single pot that has been alive for several months. Because it represents power and adaptability, which are also thought to bring prosperity and fortune, this is also important for Chinese New Year and in Chinese culture. If you happen to visit Chinese countries like Hong Kong, it's typical to see bamboo plants next to Buddha or altars at corners of houses or workspaces.
Preparing round-shaped fruits for New Year's is an important ritual in most cultures across the world, as it is believed to bring good fortune. This custom is also common in Chinese culture. Nipple fruits and kumquat trees play important roles in the Chinese New Year celebration. For example, it is thought that kumquat trees bring prosperity and fortune. Its name is really derived from the Cantonese word gold, which naturally denotes wealth. Nipple fruit, on the other hand, is referred to as Buddha's hand and is believed to bring wealth, prosperity, and good fortune. Therefore, it is normal to see these offerings at rituals and monasteries.
Other round-shaped fruits with orange and yellow colors have auspicious symbols in Chinese culture too. So they are often used as offerings and displays at homes and prepared for this kind of celebration. Some are adorned with red couplets which bring good luck to whoever has them.
And this CNY, there'll be a lot of foods again, such as chocolates, rice cakes, turnip cakes, sesame balls, and other foods that symbolize abundance, longevity, prosperity, and togetherness. This is my favorite part of CNY, eating several kinds of Chinese traditional foods with auspicious symbolism. Who doesn't like eating, anyway?
Chinese New Year is just right around the corner. Just like in other cultures, this brings joy and reunion. The air will be filled with warmth and laughter, and loved ones come together to share meals, gifts, and of course, heartfelt conversations and bondings.
May I greet the #HiveCN community with an advance happy Chinese New Year!
Thanks for your time.
•••
Jane is a Filipina wanderer in a foreign land who finds comfort in nature and freedom in writing. She loves watching raw picturesque landscapes, listening to the symphony of nature, breathing in drops of sunshine, walking through scenic trails and cityscapes, tasting new culinary flavors, capturing pretty little things, venturing into hidden gems, and dancing with the flow of life.
Her new experiences, adventures, challenges, lessons, small successes, and joys are colorful paints that fill up her canvas of life. She hopes to see it beautifully painted while she can.
Join her on her quest for self-discovery and wanderlust. If you like her content, don't hesitate to upvote, drop a comment, reblog, and follow for more wonderful adventures.
©All Rights Reserved 2024
(Unless Otherwise Stated)