Are you looking for ideas for hosting a Chinese New Year themed party? Also called Spring Festival, it is the most important celebration of the year in China with a history spanning more than 4000 years. The festivities take place between January 21 and February 20, with the date varying from year to year due to the lunar calendar. It starts with New Year’s Eve and ends with the Lantern Festival 16 days later. Decoration and meal ideas, choice of outfit and activities, we give you all the secrets of an original and successful evening !
Room decoration: bet on red tones, the color of luck and joy in China
For the decoration of your Chinese evening , opt for accessories dominated by red, which represents the color of luck and fortune in Chinese culture, and favor a subdued and soft atmosphere. For the room, choose typical decorations such as large fans, colored lanterns , beautiful umbrellas, Chinese calligraphic signs, not forgetting the traditional dragon, symbol of the Emperor.
You can adorn your chairs, sofas and armchairs with red sheets or curtains. A pretty screen with play of light and Chinese shadows will also have a very nice effect, as will suspensions of traditional envelopes reused for the occasion.
The New Year's Eve table: don't overload it too much and focus on simplicity
For table decoration, offer your guests Chinese chopsticks! It’s fun and your guests will be able to measure their dexterity (sushi lovers leave with a slight advantage all the same!) We will choose a red and gold centerpiece, with why not some Asian prints, Chinese calligraphy or flowers lotus and orchid stems.
You can have a beautiful teapot with its cups, some exotic fruits or the traditional fans. Other symbols can come to decorate your decoration, such as the panda, representations of the Great Wall of China, yin and yang, martial arts, Buddha or the Phoenix, symbol of the Empress. Finally, bamboo has its place through accessories such as straws, aperitif picks, plates or cutlery.
The New Year's meal: happiness and prosperity for the whole family ... and pleasure for the taste buds
The dishes prepared on the evening of the Chinese New Year are of great importance and a symbolism that it is necessary to know to avoid the pitfalls. They are believed to bring good luck and abundance for the coming year, and should be carefully prepared according to custom.
Among the dishes commonly prepared for New Year’s Eve, the Chinese fondue or “Hot Pot” , made with meats, seafood and vegetables, embodies the festive dish par excellence. Chinese dumplings (or jiǎozi) stuffed with meat, shrimp or vegetables are also very popular. They can be cooked boiled, steamed, fried or in the oven.
Fish (often fully cooked) is an essential food and any festive meal must absolutely include it. It indeed represents abundance and signifies a coming year safe from famine.
As for dessert, we feast on niángāo , this sticky rice cake, as well as tāngyuáns , sweet rice balls symbols of happy family reunions. To finish, taste the fortunes cookies (bought or homemade) with their message in the form of prediction or sometimes humorous maxim inside.
A traditional outfit for the Chinese New Year
Several possibilities are available to you in choosing your New Year’s Eve outfit. You can easily find accessories, clothes and costumes representing traditional Chinese outfits such as dresses (also called qi pao or cheongsam in Cantonese), the hanfu (a kind of long tunic that gave its origin to the Japanese kimono), the pien fu (costume made up of two pieces, a long tunic and a skirt hiding the ankles) or the tangzhuang (traditional jacket).
Very popular with men, Mandarin collar shirts will be an elegant and comfortable alternative to wear for the evening. Finally, the most original will have the opportunity to make up themselves as Chinese celebrity like Bruce Lee or Jackie Chan, in medieval samurai costume or even in the skin of the animal of the year, our friend the rat!
Activities, games and traditions for a memorable Chinese New Year's Eve
As at Christmas in other countries, the tradition is that we exchange gifts during the evening. On this occasion, it is customary to offer red envelopes filled with money to the youngest, the red color here also supposed to bring good luck.
If you opt for a Chinese night out with friends, you can revisit the tradition by exchanging small gifts wrapped in red paper to stay in the theme. Firecrackers (bianpao) and fireworks are obviously an integral part of the celebration to mark the transition to the new year from midnight, driving away demons with their noise and bringing peace and happiness for the new year.
However, pay attention to the regulations in force locally because they are often prohibited outside of certain occasions. Finally, the dragon dance accompanied by traditional music played with drums, cymbals and gong, is an activity widely practiced during the festivities.
A photobooth for Chinese New Year's Eve
To keep many memories of the transition to the Chinese New Year, or simply during a party on the theme of China, nothing like a photobooth! Indeed, a photo terminal will allow you to capture all these moments of joy and happiness, thanks to photos and instant impressions.
Arrange a corner of the room or your living room that you will decorate for the occasion. Provide a screen for the background to perfectly match the theme, or simply a stretched sheet, preferably red and adorned with gold or black Chinese patterns or calligraphy.
Don’t forget to hang a few paper lanterns, umbrellas and pendant lights and you are good to go! In addition to instant snapshots that guests can take with them, you will collect all the photos taken during the evening in an online gallery. The photo box is thus a perfect animation that is sure to please your guests.
