As a first generation Chinese-American, my parents celebrated all the major Chinese holidays. Out of all of them I had always loved Chinese New Year the best. It lasted the longest (15 days), and we always ate delicious food.

During my childhood I noticed the preparations my parents made to celebrate Chinese New Year, but did not always fully understand why these traditions existed. Truthfully, I probably didn’t even care that much since I was more interested in playing with my toys or watching cartoons.

Now as a mother of a toddler, I realize how important it is to maintain my Chinese heritage. As such, I have compiled a list of the key traditions I remember from my childhood and have researched the meanings behind them so that I can pass the knowledge down to my daughter.

From flickr user Shaun Johnston

Cleaning and Decorating the House - My mom always insisted on a spotless house on the eve of Chinese New Year. A clean house was free of bad luck and open to good luck in the year ahead. Many Chinese decorated doors and windows with red signs printed with the Chinese word “fu” which meant good luck and happiness. Flowers were also used in decorations to usher in the coming of Spring.
Dragon or Lion Dance – Dragon and lion dances are important for the new year as the Chinese believe that the drum and cymbal’s loud beats evict bad or evil spirits. Given this is the Year of the Dragon, I’m sure dragon dances will be especially popular this year.
Family Meals – Chinese New Year meals are filled with an abundance of mouth-watering food. My mom, a talented cook, would whip up eight to nine dishes because these numbers represented good luck. Dishes contained symbolic foods that were believed to bring health, wealth, and happiness.

New Clothes and Haircut – As a teen I was always up for this tradition. New clothes and a haircut brought in a fresh start to the new year. Red was the color of choice as it stood for good luck. We avoided black at all costs as this meant death.

Red Envelopes – I always loved receiving red envelopes from my parents because each contained money. Adults provided these red envelopes to younger family members and friends as a sign of good luck and prosperity. Recipients were required to bow three times to show respect when accepting the envelopes.

Happy Chinese New Year!