What you need to celebrate the Year of the Rabbit
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The Year of the Rabbit is almost here. If you don’t know what that means, don’t worry – we’re here to introduce you to the Lunar New Year and everything you need to start celebrating the festive holiday season.
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What is the lunar new year?
The Lunar New Year is a celebration of the first lunar cycle of the new year. The first day is called the Spring Festival while the last day in China is called the Lantern Festival.
When is the Lunar New Year 2023?
The Lunar New Year is celebrated annually and takes place on different days depending on the culture. In China, it begins with the first new moon of the calendar year and ends with the first full moon. Because the holiday is celebrated during the time it takes for the moon to go from new to full, the Lunar New Year lasts half a month, or 15 days. Because the holiday is based on lunar cycles, its date is never fixed, falling somewhere between January 21st and February 20th. This year the lunar new year begins Sunday January 22nd and ends on Sunday February 5th.
Where is the Lunar New Year celebrated?
The Chinese New Year has its origins in China and dates back about 3,500 years. Since its inception, the Chinese iteration of the Lunar New Year has spread to various countries in Southeast Asia such as Vietnam, Korea, and Japan. The Lunar New Year is celebrated a little differently in each of the countries where it is celebrated.
How do you celebrate the Lunar New Year?
Many Lunar New Year festivals and traditions are meant to herald good luck for the coming year. For example, during the preceding week many people celebrating the Lunar New Year will clean their houses to rid them of past bad luck. It is for this reason that you should not brush on the day that the Lunar New Year begins, as this would ruin the good fortune that has been ushered in. The Lunar New Year often includes a big reunion dinner where people can meet up with friends and family. Many set off fireworks when the clock strikes on the first day of the lunar new year, and the last day usually includes a Lantern Festival, where lanterns are sent skyward or down rivers, across lakes, and out to sea.
What is the Lunar New Year 2023 animal?
The Lunar New Year animal for 2023 is the rabbit, which is one of the twelve animals of the Chinese zodiac. Unlike the month-based western zodiac, the Chinese zodiac is year-based. Like the signs of the Western Zodiac, each animal of the Chinese Zodiac is associated with a different personality and temperament. Each animal is also associated with certain lucky numbers and gets along with certain animals while not getting along with others. Those born in the year of the Rabbit are sometimes described as sensitive, compassionate and responsible. It should be noted that in the Vietnamese zodiac, the rabbit is replaced by the cat.
Do you give gifts for the Lunar New Year?
Giving gifts is not a big part of Lunar New Year celebrations, but they are not uncommon. One of the few gifts are red envelopes with money for children. This is supposed to bring good luck to the recipient.
►Cover: 15 AAPI Proprietary Lunar New Year 2023 Gifts to Ring in the Year of the Rabbit
Are you decorating for the Lunar New Year?
Yes, the Lunar New Year involves a lot of decor. Those who celebrate decorate their house in red, as it is considered the color of luck. Decorations range from lanterns to banners and may also feature the animal of the coming year – the rabbit in the case of 2023.
What should you buy to prepare for the Lunar New Year?
tablecloth
What better way to liven up your table for your Lunar New Year than by decorating it with a beautiful tablecloth? This tablecloth from the Lipo Store is guaranteed to bring good luck thanks to its eye-catching red colour. It’s made of polyester so it feels comfortable while still being splashproof and machine washable. It has over a thousand five-star reviews, with buyers loving the beautiful design of the fabric. You can complete the cloth with a bunny table runner that will add even more flair to your table.
$22 at Amazon $13 at Amazon
Red flowers
When it comes to Lunar New Year decorations, you can never have too much red. Flowers are the perfect centerpiece for your table, so add the perfect flair to your home with a bouquet of red flowers. While any red flower will do, it’s hard to resist the allure of red roses. 1-800 Flowers offers two dozen red roses with different vase options. You can even order it with a box of chocolates to get your Valentine’s Day shopping done sooner.
From $60 from 1-800 flowers
Red paper decorations
If you have a knack for arts and crafts, you’ll love decorating for the Lunar New Year. Many decorations can be made yourself with some paper, scissors and a little patience, for example lanterns. Do you prefer to draw? You can create cute paper bunny decorations to decorate your house. Prang sells high quality craft paper at a great price so you won’t have any trouble getting started on your unique Lunar New Year decorations. Taotree offers a pack of five scissors, which buyers love for their quality and cheap price.
$5 from Amazon $7 from Amazon
red envelopes
Red envelopes filled with money are traditionally given to children after the Lunar New Year Dinner as a gesture to wish them good health, growth and success in their studies. Since the envelope is red, the traditional color of good luck, the money inside is considered “lucky money”. If you wish, you can increase your luck even more by putting the monetary value of a lucky number in the envelope. You don’t have to limit your gift to children. Because who doesn’t like luck or money? While any envelope will do, these from Ellzk are an adorable way to celebrate the Year of the Rabbit.
$10 from Amazon
TV to see celebrations
There are several ways to see the Lunar New Year celebrations even if there are no public events happening in your area. Events are often shown on local channels as well as online. No matter how you decide to watch a parade or a lantern festival, a big screen like the TCL 5-Series S555, one of the best TVs we’ve tested, is the way to go. You get great picture quality, multiple ports, and a nimble OS to stream without breaking the bank.
$430 from Amazon
multi stove
Hosting a reunion dinner is a key part of the Lunar New Year celebrations. No matter what you want to cook, you can probably make it in a multi-cooker. The Ninja Speedi is an excellent multi-cooker and the best air fryer we’ve tested. It can fry, steam and grill foods easily. Not only is it easy to use, but it’s also easy to clean and you’ll never run the risk of burning yourself on the outside of the device. If you need a pressure cooker, Ninja has the best in class for that too with the Ninja Foodi. It’s more expensive than the Speedi, but it does more and is still incredibly easy to use.
$200 from Amazon $339 from Amazon
vacuum
Cleaning one’s own house is traditionally part of preparing for the Lunar New Year. The reason for this is that you remove the bad luck of the old year so that you can bring in the happiness of the new year. Simply put, you are making room for a fresh start. Just make sure you brush before Lunar New Year’s Day and not during it – if you do this, you’ll brush away all the New Year’s happiness. Nothing will clean your home faster than a quality vacuum cleaner. One of the best vacuums you can buy is the Shark NV352 Navigator Lift-Away, which effortlessly reaches hard-to-reach spots and converts to canister mode for cleaning furniture and stairs.
$160 from Amazon
Serve platters
Lunar New Year dinners can be big, so you need a serving bowl for all your guests. The Sweese Serving Tray comes in a set of four – they are among the top serving trays sold by Amazon with over 1,400 five star reviews. Reviewers love their quality and how good they look on the table.
$38 from Amazon
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