Home Decorating Ideas For The Chinese New Year
Chinese New Year is one of the important celebrations in the Chinese calendar. It is also known as Spring Festival or the Lunar New Year. Chinese New year is traditionally celebrated from the evening preceding the first day to the Lantern Festival on the 15th day of the first calendar month.
The Chinese New Year
Chinese New Year is a popular celebration due to myths and customs. This is the time the Chinese honor their deities and ancestors. The activities involve using firecrackers and giving money in red envelopes.
Many establishments, homes, and offices prepare for the celebration. Glittering decorations are usually displayed to capture the magic and energy of the holiday. It is common to see colors red and gold, bright lanterns, and auspicious plants and flowers.
Decorating your home for the Chinese New Year
Traditionally, homes and various establishments are decorated with the following: red lanterns, orange and mandarin trees, banners with messages of good fortune and prosperity, and cherry blossoms.
Red lanterns
Red lanterns are the most popular items to spark the Chinese New Year and symbolize vitality and prosperity. The lanterns come in all shapes, sizes, and colors and have become a symbol of Chinese culture.
Red and gold banners
Red and gold banners with New Year messages of good luck offer a warm welcome and wishes of prosperity and good fortune for the upcoming year. The decorations could be at the room’s entrance or near the main entrance. Red and gold are considered lucky for the Chinese, as red symbolizes the vitality of life and happiness, while gold is for wealth and prosperity.
Garlands and wreaths
In the Chinese tradition, firecrackers made out of bright shiny paper hanging alongside door entrances are used instead of using garlands and wreaths. These decorations add a festive and lively atmosphere to the house since they represent the season’s loud, happy, and cracking noise. Firecrackers are believed to scare away evil spirits when they are lit.
Yuanbao
Yuanbao or Sycee are boat-shaped gold ingots. They are traditionally made of silver or gold and used as money in Ancient China. They represent wealth and prosperity.
Chinese Knots
Chinese Knots are hung or given to loved ones as good-luck charms to the loved ones. They protect an individual from evil spirits, and the endless knots signify everlasting life or longevity.
Lucky coins
Coins are known to be associated with wealth and prosperity. It is common to see coins with a square hole in the middle used as decorative tokens. It is common to see charms with three coins tied with red string for good luck.
Fruits, plants, and flowers
Since the Chinese New year is a celebration marking the end of winter and the beginning of spring, fruits, plants, and blooming flowers are essential decorative items. These represent the earth returning to life and wishing for prosperous new beginnings.
Mandarin and Orange trees and kumquat plants are more than just decorative items. They represent good fortune, wealth, and prosperity. They are commonly given as gifts and decorated with shiny red ornaments, red envelopes, and good luck messages.
Chinese also love “Lucky Bamboo” plants, commonly seen in homes and offices. This plant is widely used in Feng Shui and is associated with health, resilience, abundance, and a happy home. Bamboo is also believed to attract positive Chi energy.
