Chinese New Year is here and it’s time for friends and family to gather around tables full of delicious food and enjoy our favorite cookies and snacks. It is also an enjoyable time for children who will receive red packets or ‘ang pao’ during this festive season. In addition to that, it’s also that time of the year where you get to watch lion dances and dragon dances.

Chinese traditions come alive during the Lunar New Year and everyone favours the colour red as it is considered lucky and ushers in prosperity. If you’ve ever wondered what the most common CNY decorations are and what they actually mean, do read on:

Kumquats



Kumquats look like little oranges and they are usually displayed still on their branches, growing in pots. The word ’Kum’ means gold in Cantonese and the word ‘Gat’ sounds like the Cantonese word for good luck. Many a times, there will be red ribbons ties to the Kumquat trees and they are displayed to bring in more wealth to the family.

Red Lanterns



In the past, lanterns were hung up in houses and streets during Chinese New Year to light up night time festivities like gatherings or street markets. They used to be made of bamboo and wood but nowadays they are made from steel or plastic. Instead of using candles, most people depend on electric light bulbs to light up their lanterns, casting a red glow over everything and creating a cheerful atmosphere.

Upside-Down ‘Fu’ Character



The Chinese character for good luck or ‘Fu’ is was often written down on simple square pieces of red paper and then hung upside-down so that the good luck can flow down into the house and make the family prosperous. Nowadays, the ‘Fu’ character is made into plastic red and gold pieces and even printed on cushion covers.

Lucky Bamboo



You’ll often see small clusters or thin stalks of bamboo being displayed in Chinese houses during this festive season as bamboo is a sign of health, resilience, abundance and growth. Feng Shui experts often say that placing bamboo in a house to attracts positive Chi energy.

Plum Blossoms



The plum blossom flowers are one of the most delicate and beautiful decorations to appear during CNY. Here in Malaysia, there aren’t any natural plum blossoms due to the weather so most people have to settle for plastic flowers. However, this plant is special because it is the first to blossom after the snow melts and is significant of spring and rebirth.

Spring Couplets



Couplets are basically Chinese characters that form auspicious or well wishing phrases. They are sometimes written by skilled calligraphers onto long strips of paper which are then hung up beside the entrance or up on the walls. Nowadays, you can find massed produced couplets that come decorated with gold and other icons of good luck, like the animal that represents the current year.