Recently updated on March 4th, 2025 at 10:51 am
Chinese New Year is celebrated across the globe. In London, you’ll find the largest festivities outside of China – with everything from street parties to a parade that weaves its way through the centre of the city. Big-scale celebrations take place in San Francisco, too, which is home to the largest Chinatown in the world.
But in China, there are a set of New Year traditions that families have followed for centuries, whether it’s the Year of the Goat or the Year of the Sheep.
The big clean
There are many traditions that take place in the lead-up to Chinese New Year – and one of them is cleaning. Similar to the concept of a ‘spring clean’, Chinese people clean their houses from top to bottom, signifying the removal of old and the welcoming in the new. Some people even give their windows and doors a fresh lick of paint!
New Year markets
Chinese people love to decorate their homes, and the New Year markets are perfect for picking up everything from lanterns and fireworks to food and flowers. These temporary bazaars spring up all over the country in towns and cities and are a great place to enjoy the build-up to the celebrations.
New Year’s Eve dinner
Families gather on New Year’s Eve for what they regard as the most important event during the festivities: the New Year’s Eve dinner. It’s also known as the reunion dinner, as family members return to their home towns and cities from all over the world. Congregations often take place at a family member’s house and it’s a common tradition to serve dishes featuring fish and dumplings.
Red envelopes
It’s customary for adults to give their family members a red packet containing money. The monetary gifts are given out at family gatherings, usually to children and younger members of the family. It’s also not unusual for married couples to give money to younger adults who are single, as the gift-giving tradition symbolises good luck and is supposed to ward off evil spirits.
Fireworks
Legend has it that the colours and loud sounds of fireworks are meant to drive away evil spirits, too. So right after midnight on New Year’s Eve, all different kinds of fireworks are let off and light up the night skies.
If you’re interested in discovering some of China’s customs and traditions for yourself, check out our China tours on Trafalgar.com.