While the new year begins on January 1st for most of us in the West, there are other cultures that celebrate the start of the new year at different times. One of the most commonly known of these is Lunar New Year (or Spring Festival/Chinese New Year if you live in China, or are part of the Chinese community). This holiday is widely celebrated across Asia, but has spread out around the world – especially in places with large Asian communities.
But what is it, and how can you go about celebrating Lunar New Year at home? We got curious too, so we decided to do some research for you – which is where this guide comes in. Here, you can learn more about celebrating Lunar New Year, including some of the popular traditions, foods, and more from around the world…
What is Lunar New Year?
Unlike the Gregorian calendar you’re probably more familiar with, many Asian communities still follow a lunar calendar. As the name suggests, these calendars use the phases and orbit of the moon around the sun to track time (for context, the Gregorian calendar is solar, meaning it uses the rotation of the Earth around the Sun to calculate days etc).
Lunar New Year then, is exactly what it sounds like – a celebration of the end of one year and the beginning of the next. With this comes plenty of traditions that people take part in to ring in the new year and wish for luck and prosperity for the future.
Some Lunar New Year facts you should know include:
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Following a lunar calendar, the new year falls on the second new moon after the winter solstice.
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The exact date (according to the Gregorian calendar) changes, but Lunar New Year tends to fall between late January to early February. In 2025 for example, the festival begins on 29th Jan.
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Lunar New Year celebrations are 15 days, lasting from New Year’s Day to the Lantern Festival, which marks the first full moon of the new year.
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Outside of Asia, London is home to the largest Lunar New Year celebrations.
Remember: Lunar New Year is celebrated all over the world, but different communities will have their own traditions. In this article, we’ve picked out some of the most common – but this list is not exhaustive, and these are certainly not the only ways to celebrate.
Lunar New Year traditions
Since it’s been celebrated for decades in and around Asia, there are a plethora of Lunar New Year traditions connected to bringing in good luck, and encouraging prosperity and wellness in the year to come.
So what are a small selection of the dos and don’ts you should know about when it comes to celebrating Lunar New Year at home?
Lunar New Year traditions: Do…
Decorate with red: red is considered an auspicious, lucky colour in many Asian countries, including China, Vietnam, the Philippines, and more. As part of Chinese New Year tradition in particular, adults will gift red envelopes (often containing money) most often to children, but also to friends, family, and others to wish for a prosperous new year.
If you’re celebrating Lunar New Year at home, consider decorating your house with red paper lanterns or red banners containing messages for luck and prosperity in doorways. You can also wear red clothing, and hang red envelopes on the walls.
Host a Reunion dinner: this is the ultimate Lunar New Year tradition in several Asian countries, and is meant to bring families together to usher in the new year. Held on New Year’s Eve, families will gather together with some traditional dishes (see more about these below) to symbolise unity, and a shared hope for good fortune and prosperity.
Set off fireworks: in Ancient Chinese legend, a monster called Nian used to attack and devour cities on the first day of the year. But, he was scared of three things: loud noises, smoke, and the colour red – which is where the tradition of fireworks has come from. If you’re celebrating Lunar New Year at home, consider holding or attending a fireworks display to welcome in the new year (and scare away bad luck and monsters like Nian).
Lunar New Year traditions: Don’t…
Clean: according to many communities, actions like sweeping on or immediately after Lunar New Year symbolically erases all of the good luck that has accumulated for the new year – you’re literally carrying out the luck. Washing is also a taboo, but this is because the first two days of the new year are considered the Water God’s birthday, so using water would be disrespectful.
Instead, you should wait until the fifth day of the new year, as this is when rubbish and dust turn into symbols of poverty. By cleaning, you’re ‘expelling poverty’ for the year.
Use negative language: a common Lunar New Year tradition is that using negative language is considered unlucky because you’re inviting these topics to follow you through the year. When celebrating, avoid talking about ‘death’, ‘illness’ or ‘loss’.
Nap: having an afternoon nap on Lunar New Year is thought to indicate laziness for the rest of the year.
Eat porridge: considered a poor person’s food in historical China, you should avoid eating porridge on New Year’s Day to avoid starting the year ‘poor’.
Lunar New Year foods
Food is a huge part of Lunar New Year traditions. Dishes can be associated with luck and good fortune, symbolise prosperity, and so much more. Below, we’ve picked out some famous Lunar New Year foods that are popular in and around Asia…
Dumplings
Dumplings are one of the quintessential Lunar New Year foods. These have become popular because their shape is reminiscent of ancient gold or silver ingots, or money pouches; so they have become symbolic of prosperity and wealth for the year ahead.
In China, these dumplings are called ‘jiaozi’ (in Mandarin) which sounds similar to an idiom that means ‘transition from old to new’ in English, making them the perfect food to welcome in a new year.
If you’re celebrating Lunar New Year at home, you should definitely consider making some dumplings as part of your feast. Since they can be boiled, steamed, or even pan-fried, make sure you have the right kit by exploring our Pan Sets collection…
Commonly eaten across: China, the Philippines, Singapore.
Tteoguk
Tteoguk is a Korean rice cake soup commonly eaten on Lunar New Year (called Seollal in Korean). Made with chewy discs of rice cake in a savory broth, this dish has come to symbolise fresh starts, purity and new beginnings – perfect for a new year celebration. It also represents becoming another year older, making it an essential must-have for many Koreans.
Commonly eaten across: South Korea, North Korea.
Lucky-8 stir fry
Eight is a lucky number in Chinese tradition; it’s a homophone for prosperity, one of the foundational wishes at Lunar New Year. Lucky-8 stir fry then, is a classic dish to usher in prosperity and good fortune for the new year.
The vital facts to know about this dish are:
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You should use eight ingredients.
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It’s usually vegetarian, inspired by Buddhist tradition.
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The ingredients should be different textures and tastes, but it’s important for them to be balanced for a complete experience.
Want to add Lucky-8 stir fry to your home celebrations? You need the right wok. Woks are perfect for stir frying because they can get up to high temperatures easier, giving you that characteristic char that makes stir frys so delicious. Of course, at Circulon, we have just what you need (keep reading to find out more below…).
Commonly eaten across: China, and across East Asia.
Yusheng
An interactive dish that can sometimes be the highlight amongst several amazing Lunar New Year foods, Yusheng is a type of salad with raw fish, veggies, and different seasonings. The name is even a homophone for ‘abundance of wealth and long life’ (in Mandarin).
But, what makes this special for the new year? Once the items have been prepared, friends and family members will gather around the table to toss the ingredients in the air with chopsticks, while saying various wishes for the year ahead. According to tradition, the height you can get reflects your growth in fortune for the year. So, not only is this an auspicious tradition – but a fun one for everyone to get involved in.
Commonly eaten across: Singapore, Malaysia, China.
Whole fish
This Lunar New Year’s food is an amazing one for if you’re celebrating at home to really explore how your cookware can support you. According to tradition, whole fish represent completeness and wholeness, so families often serve whole fish (head and tail included) as part of their new year celebrations. The word for fish in Mandarin also sounds similar to the word for abundance, which helps its popularity at this time of year!
If you’re celebrating Lunar New Year at home, make sure you have the right gear to create an amazing centrepiece for the table. The easiest way to cook a whole fish is to steam it or bake it in the oven – using one of our Large Ultimum Non-Stick Oven Trays for example.
Season with flavours like ginger, soy, and green onions; then simply wrap your fish in a tin foil parcel to keep the steam in, and cook until the flesh is gently flaking away from the bones.
Commonly eaten across: China, the Philippines, Vietnam, Korea.
Longevity noodles
Longevity noodles (or yi mein, e-fu noodles) are a staple of many Chinese celebrations – including Lunar New Year – as they’re associated with prosperity, good luck, and longevity. The reason? The noodles’ length symbolises good luck and the wish for a long life – so the longer the better with this dish.
That’s another reason stir frying works so well; tossing the noodles in the pan rather than stirring is less likely to break them, so you can have super-long noodles for the celebration!
Commonly eaten across: China, Taiwan, Vietnam, South Korea, Singapore, Malaysia.
Cook up new Lunar New Year foods with Circulon
However you’re planning to celebrate Lunar New Year at home, make sure you have everything you need for an incredible feast when you shop with Circulon. Explore our amazing selection of Woks and Stir Fry Pans to help you try new recipes, and welcome good fortune into the new year.
Not sure what wok you need? We’ve got you covered, with three of our favourites below…
Infinite Non-Stick Wok & Stainless Steel Lid
Perfect for your Reunion Dinner, our 36cm Family Size Infinite Non-Stick Wok & Stainless Steel Lid lets you cook up a feast for the whole table to dig in. Easily able to handle portions for up to six people, this wok is ideal for celebrating Lunar New Year at home. And of course, there are some Circulon specials that make it stand out, including:
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Our patented Hi-Low non-stick system makes cooking a breeze, so you can concentrate on flavour over sticking.
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It’s suitable for all hob types – even induction – so you’re not limited by where you can cook.
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Designed with cast stainless steel riveted handles, this wok is built to last for many new years to come.
ScratchDefense Extreme Non-Stick Wok & Helper Handle
Stir-frying anything is a delight when you choose our ScratchDefense Extreme Non-Stick Wok & Helper Handle. Our ScratchDefence collection is 130x longer lasting than the competition – so if you prefer using metal utensils you don’t have to compromise on quality. The aluminium core helps to spread heat efficiently and evenly so you can get the ultimate quick stir-fry flavour with minimal effort.
Our triple layer non-stick coating means that any meats, veggies, or other ingredients will slide effortlessly from pan to bowl. And, with a 34cm diameter, there’s plenty of room to feed all your friends and family if you’re celebrating Lunar New Year at home.
Style Non-Stick Induction Wok With Lid
The Style Non-Stick Induction Wok With Lid – where contemporary type meets superb functionality. Designed with a hard-anodised steel for practical durability, the extra thick base helps this wok heat up 20% faster; all with no hot spots so you can get a precise, even cook on all your ingredients. Want to keep the heat in? The stainless steel lid is perfect for making sure your meal is ready when you are. It even has a stay-cool handle for added safety.
Proven to last around 15 times longer than our closet competitor, it just makes sense to kit out your kitchen with Circulon.
Find your Lunar New Year Traditions with Circulon
Of course, it’s worth saying that this is just a guide – and certainly not an exhaustive list of Lunar New Year traditions. We’re sure families will have their own ways of celebrating; and we’d love to hear all about it. Share your Lunar New Year traditions with us by tagging @circulon in your social media posts – and show off the amazing treats you’re making for your families.
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