2025 is the year of the snake! Chinese New Year, which follows the lunar calendar, always falls on the second new moon after the December solstice. This year, it starts on January 29th. The festivities last for 15 days, concluding on February 12th. 

My family always celebrates Chinese New Year, and it’s probably my favorite holiday. The holiday is also known as Lunar New Year, which includes the unique celebrations of various cultures. But we’re from Singapore, where the term “Chinese New Year” is used to represent our Chinese community’s specific traditions. 

The Chinese New Year celebration lasts fifteen days, but the festivities start the day before, on 除夕 (chú xī), Chinese New Year’s Eve. On that day, we have 团圆饭 (tuán yuán fàn), meaning “reunion dinner”, to celebrate the gathering of family. Since we don’t have relatives living nearby, it’s my family’s tradition to have the reunion dinner with our close friends—who are like family to us. 

Also, on Chinese New Year’s Eve, it’s a tradition for my siblings and me to wear new clothes to bed. They’re usually red since it’s considered a lucky color to wear during the celebration. Then, before going to sleep, we receive our first red packets from our parents. 

Red packets are decorated envelopes filled with money. In Chinese, we call them 红包 (hóng bāo) which literally means “red packet”. During the New Year, unmarried young people—especially children—offer grown-ups a pair of oranges and wish them good luck. In return, they receive blessings in the form of hóng bāo, which are stored under their pillows until the last day of the celebration. Some phrases we normally use to wish others good luck are 恭喜发财 (gōng xǐ fā cái), meaning “May you be happy and prosperous” and 心想事成 (xīn xiǎng shì chéng), which translates to “May all your wishes come true”. 

One of the most exciting parts of Chinese New Year is the food. Hot pot is an important part of the cuisine, especially during gatherings like the reunion dinner. For dessert, my favorite is 汤圆 (tāng yuán), a dish of glutinous rice balls served in hot broth or syrup. When serving tāng yuán in my family, it’s always with ginger soup.

Additionally, on the seventh day of the celebration, we enjoy eating 鱼 生 (yú shēng) to symbolize 年年有余 (nián nián yǒu yú), “full of abundance every year”. This is because the character “yú” meaning “fish” and the Chinese word for “abundance” are homophones. Not only is it auspicious, but yú shēng is particularly fun to serve. With all the ingredients—usually fish, vegetables, and various spices— prepared separately, we take turns adding them to the plate while shouting blessings. Then we mix them by tossing them with chopsticks—hopefully not dropping any on the floor. 

In Singapore, any young person who wishes a married adult good luck during Chinese New Year is gifted a hóng bāo or red packet. So don’t be afraid to give your blessings to those around you—maybe you’ll be presented with something special in return too.