Chinese New Year in London 2022

Facts about the Chinese New Year 

The Chinese New Year is coming up, and many people around the world are planning trips to china or lunar new year celebrations at home. Many people will be curious about how they celebrate it in China, and what the Chinese new year traditions are surrounding this public holiday.

The Chinese new year is celebrated annually and marks the start of a new lunar calendar for the chinese culture. It is a long holiday, with celebrations going on for weeks, and the festivities reach a climax on Chinese new year’s eve. Traditions include wearing special clothing, giving lucky money to children and red pocket envelopes to adults with money inside as a gift. A traditional Chinese new year’s eve dinner would be dumplings or noodles.

In China, most people will return to their family homes to celebrate the Chinese new year festival with their parents. They also visit the graves of any relatives that have passed away and burn fake money for them so they can use it in heaven.

The Chinese zodiac is a cycle of twelve years represented by twelve different animals: rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, goat, monkey, rooster, dog and pig. Each year is related to a certain Chinese new year animal in the Chinese zodiac signs cycle and takes part in a race to reach the Jade Emperor. People born in the year of that animal share some traits with it. It’s also common to give children names that relate to their Chinese zodiac sign.

Every Chinese new year is represented by a zodiac animal sign and is named after it. Each year in the Chinese calendar also has an element: fire, earth, metal, water or wood.

The Chinese new year’s eve is called chunjie, or spring festival. People are given money in red envelopes, and the streets are filled with people buying fireworks to celebrate Chinese new year’s day.

This celebration is meant to be a fresh start for everyone, so it is celebrated all over the world. Many universities have lantern festivals and also hold fireworks and lantern events.

The Chinese new year is a time to celebrate and reflect on the past, so it is celebrated with good food, new clothing and spending time with family. It is always a good idea to learn about other cultures.

When is Chinese New Year celebrated in London?

Chinese New Year’s day is rapidly approaching! It’s also called the Lunar New Year, Spring Festival, Tet, and Seollal. It is the official beginning of the new lunar calendar, which suggests a clean slate and a fresh start for a more optimistic new year.

In 2022, Chinese New Year falls on 1 February

2022 may be well underway according to solar calendars, but Chinese New Year is calculated according to the lunar calendar.

However, the Year of the Tiger will be ushered in with less fanfare than anticipated. The annual event, which would have been the region’s largest outside Asia, has been canceled for the second consecutive year.

Typically, the main parade begins in Charing Cross Road and meanders through Shaftesbury Avenue before culminating with a lion eye-dotting ceremony and stage performances in Trafalgar Square. There will be a small-scale lion dance and a night market with pre-recorded performances on video screens in Newport Place in Chinatown instead.

Don’t worry if the usual spectacle of costumed parades and stage shows isn’t taking place, though, because there’s still plenty to do.

What zodiac animal is the Chinese New Year 2022?

The Chinese New Year, also known as Spring Festival or Lunar New Year , takes place on the first day of the Chinese zodiac year.

The zodiac animal every year alternates between 12 animals, in a cycle that lasts for 60 years (12 x 5 = 60).   The zodiac animal changes on the second new moon after winter solstice.This is similar to how each month of the Gregorian calendar is often linked to a zodiac in other countries

This year, the zodiac animal is Tiger, and it is the zodiac year of the Tiger.

In Chinese tradition, years of the Tiger are associated with strength and ambition.   Tigers have a strong will power and is always ready to lead people into battle!

Tigers are fearsome animals, and were once called ‘the lord of the jungle’. Tigers typically live alone in their territory. This year, people born under the zodiac sign of Tiger will be fighting for independence this year!

However, the Chinese New Year is not only about individuals; it’s about family too.

Together, the year of the Tiger will be a year of unity!   The Tiger year will bring family happiness and joy, but also more courage.    People often say that whatever you do in life, always keep your ‘family first’. But this year, people might take it to the next level – putting family above all else.

The zodiac animal is an important part of Chinese culture.  It inspired a zodiac parade in Paris, France, where performers dressed as the zodiac animals marched down a street to celebrate the Lunar New Year.

Where in London you can celebrate Chinese New Year 2022

To commemorate the end of Winter, over 250,000 individuals will be gathering in London for Chinese New Year celebrations.

This year is the Year of the Tiger and the last time we had this year was in 2010.

In Chinese culture, it represents power and majesty. It was frequently linked with Emperors or Kings in the past.

Thousands of people throughout the city will be participating in more than two weeks of vibrant celebrations, which will include fireworks and crimson clothing and decorations to commemorate the occasion.

There are many other events taking place throughout the city to celebrate Chinese New Year 2022.

Here is a list of some of the major ones:

Chinese New Year in Trafalgar Square – Online Activities

According to the London Chinatown Chinese Association (LCCA), this year’s celebration has been canceled.

It is London’s most significant holiday celebration, as well as the city’s biggest outside of Asia.

The LCCA has announced that online events will be held in its place. On February 6, you’ll be able to watch a special television program and spot the London Eye lit in red and gold.

To stay informed about activities beginning January 31, the LCCA advises using the hashtag #CNYLondon on their social media platforms.

Lunar New Year at the National Maritime Museum

On January 29, the museum will host a day of festivities with performances and activities throughout the day.

You may visit in person or see it virtually – both are completely free!

This year event was organized by the Greenwich Vietnam Women’s Group, Global Fusion Music and Arts, and Newham Chinese Association.

From 2 p.m., a colorful and joyful variety of shows will be presented to celebrate Lunar New Year and the musical traditions of south-east Asia. A Qigong and Tai Chi class/demonstration, ship printing, dragon and lion dance, and lantern making are among the workshops available.

Luminescence

This year, Chinese New Year falls on February 1st based on Chinese calendar, although celebrations will typically last 16 days, starting from Chinese New Year’s Eve (January 31st) until February 15th. The final day of the celebrations is marked by the Lantern Festival.

On February 6, families can have a fun paper lanterns-making session with their children. You’ll learn about the Lunar New Year and its colorful customs and traditions while creating a pleasant paper lantern.

As part of the celebration, each attendee is given their own lantern “embellished with their wishes for the new year,” according to the event organizer. For ages 5 and up, but all ages are welcome.

You can purchase one ticket per family, and each session is limited to two families.

The sessions will be held at St. Margaret’s House, 21 Old Ford Road, London, E2 9PL.

Year of the Tiger – TSR (The Stream Room Event)

From January 28 to February 12, celebrities will come together to celebrate the New Year.

The East London dry cleaners has agreed to provide their space for the event and to promote and support local artists from the East and South Asian community.

Proceeds will be used to assist the Hackney Chinese communities.

What are the traditions of Chinese New Year?

Every nation and individual celebrates Lunar New Year a little differently, with its own customs, cuisine, and celebrations. The following are a few of the things you might observe when celebrating this festive occasion.

Thorough Cleaning

Chinese new year is also called Spring Festival. Spring is an important time for new beginnings, following Chinese superstitions new Chinese housewives always spend the weeks before new year giving their houses a thorough cleaning to wash away any ill-fortune or bad luck brought in from the preceding year.

Fruits and Candies

In most homes, especially in southern China, a variety of fruits will be set out upon family altars to honor the deities who oversee the coming year. Tangerines symbolize good luck while longans represent longevity since they look like the Chinese characters meaning “long life”.

Other symbolic fruits will most likely include oranges, pomelos, bananas, and tangerines.  Traditional candies are also made to give away as gifts during the first few days of the New Year.

Offering greetings

Greeting is a most important part of Chinese New Year celebrations. Family members and friends gather together to celebrate this festival. In order to greet each other, most people will say “Kung Hei Fat Choi”, which means “Congratulations and be prosperous”.

In addition, most homes hang red scrolls on their front doors with most famous traditional greetings and phrases such as “Kung Hei Fat Choy” and “Lai See” (lottery red packet).

People will greet each other by saying, “Gong Xi Gong Xi!” A chinese language which means “Good luck and best wishes.

Family Gathering

A reunion dinner or a family dinner is usually held on the eve of Chinese New Year’s Eve. It is not mandatory for family members to gather at one place but most prefer to meet up at their own house.

The reunion dinner has some traditions that you need to follow or else chinese people might think that you are not respecting their culture. The head of the family will sit at the main seat, while others including children and guests will be seated according to their seniority. The reunion dinner is normally a veggie meal with all members of the family gathering around one huge table for this meal.

Red envelopes

The red envelope (money) is called ya sui qian (压岁钱 /yaa sway chyen/), which means ‘suppressing Sui [the demon]money’. It is a monetary gift that is given during holidays and special occasions in china. The amount should be five times the sum of an individual’s age. For example, you will give 50 RMB to someone who just turned 10 years old.

The red envelope symbolizes a blessing for good fortune and may also include a small amount of money inside. During Chinese new year celebration, Chinese families give these envelopes to children and unmarried relatives or friends. The older the people are, the more valuable the gift should be. It is because china considers age as a sign of wisdom and experience.

Buying new clothes

Prior to the new year, chinese family members will buy new clothing for family members. It is also advisable that you buy clothes for yourself too. It’s to signify a fresh start and people wearing new clothing would luckier throughout the year.