How to Celebrate Chinese New Year in Lockdown
Happy Chinese New Year to all of our lovely guests!
Chinese New Year celebrates the Lunar calendar and begins when a new moon appears each year. This is why the dates change, but always fall between 21 January and 20 February.
2021 is the Year of the Ox! This animal represents strength, durability, hard work and patience. After an unpredictable year, the Ox invokes a sense of recovery and rebuilding.
Whilst we may not be able to celebrate Chinese New Year the way we would like, there are a few things we can all do safely at home to recognise the rituals of the festival.
Join our true Life events
We’ll be ringing in the Lunar New Year by channeling all our inner Ox energy of centredness, tranquillity and peace. What better way to do this than with a lantern painting class? To ensure we’re staying connected during this difficult time, we’ll be chatting with our guests on Zoom this Friday 12th February, whilst therapeutically painting pretty paper lanterns for our rooms! What’s more, guests will receive lucky red envelopes with a yummy surprise inside! In Chinese culture, the colour red is associated with good fortune, energy and happiness. Thus, gifting red envelopes is a gesture of goodwill. And after the year we've all had, we'll be grateful for any symbol of good fortune sent our way!
Find out more about our events and how to sign up on Facebook or Instagram.
Clean your room
Decluttering your living space a few days before the New Year begins is a great way to clear out the bad luck and make way for new and prosperous beginnings. So what are you waiting for?! Now more than ever is the perfect time to practice the Chinese ritual of Feng Shui. This claims to use energy forces to harmonise individuals with their surroundings. Invite positive chi into your uni room so that your life feels both energised and balanced. Good vibes all around!
Prepare Chinese dishes
You don’t need to master any complex recipes to eat traditional Chinese New Year meals. Instead, opt for simple food with a special deeper meaning. For example, prepare yourself some long, uncut noodles to represent long life, fish for abundance or dumplings for prosperity. Alternatively, order from a local authentic delivery service. The perfect excuse to enjoy some yummy Chinese food! Other food like mandarin oranges and candied fruits are commonly eaten, displayed and gifted at New Year, as they symbolise good luck.
Stream a Chinese New Year celebration
Many online concerts are taking place this year to celebrate Chinese New Year in a way which fits with the ongoing pandemic. For our true Birmingham guests, the University of Birmingham is hosting a special online concert with a magical fusion of East and West. World-class pianist Di Xiao will be joined by renowned cellist Jiaxin Cheng and singer-songwriter Tazmin Barnes to celebrate the event. This streams on YouTube from Monday 8th February, as well as the University’s Facebook page at 1pm UK time on Wednesday 10th February.
Brighten your room and clothes with some colour
The Lunar New Year is associated with splashes of red decorating the streets and filling people’s homes. Hang red lanterns, decorations, or simply wear red to ward off Nian – a lion-like monster that, according to mythology, is afraid of the colour. In parts of China, the holiday is called Spring Festival, so vibrant floral arrangements and fruit trees are commonplace. Research has shown that colour can absolutely affect your mood, behaviour and stress levels. So, leave the dull in 2020 and revitalise your mood with an uplifting splash of colour!
We wish all of you a very happy and healthy Year of the Ox!
From team true.