The culture and customs of Chinese New Year

All you need to know about

1. Red Envelope / Hongbao

A red envelope (紅包, hóngbāo) is simply a long, narrow, red envelope with money in it. Traditional red envelopes are often decorated with gold Chinese characters like happiness and wealth.
Red symbolizes luck. Red envelopes are handed out to younger generations by their parents, grandparents, relatives, and even close neighbors and friends during Chinese New Year.
When giving someone a red envelope, use both hands to present the red envelope to the recipient. Giving and receiving red envelopes, gifts, and even business cards is a solemn act

The amount of money in red envelopes given to children for Chinese New Year depends on age and the giver’s relationship to the child. For younger children, the equivalent of about $7 dollars is fine. More money is given to older children and teenagers. The amount is usually enough for the child to buy himself his own gift like a T-shirt or DVD. Parents may give the child a more substantial amount since material gifts are usually not given during the holidays.

For all occasions, certain amounts of money are to be avoided. Anything with a four is best avoided because 四 (sì, four) sounds similar to死 (sǐ, death). Even numbers, except four, are better than odd. Eight is a particularly auspicious number. The money inside a red envelope should always be new and crisp. Folding the money or giving dirty or wrinkled bills is in bad taste. Coins and checks are avoided

2. Chinese New Year Eve

What happen during the eve ?
the new year's eve is the time for families of the year, the new year eve's dinner will certainly be the hour of the new year's eve. The dinner is full of symbolic meaning, such as Chinese dumplings implying wealth since they have the shape of ancient Chinese gold or silver ingots. Everyone, even kids, drinks a little Jiu (usually hard liquor), which symbolizes longevity since Jiu has the same pronunciation as longevity in Chinese. 

3. Yu sheng

meaning "raw fish" is a Chinese New Year dish, served traditionally on the seventh day of Chinese New Year or Ren Ri ("Everyman's Birthday"). It is a salad dish made of thin slices of raw fish and various spices, mixed with tossing actions by diners. A play on Chinese homonyms links the ingredients and tossing actions to prosperity and longevity, all adding to the good wishes for the new year.
Rituals :
Step 1: All at the table offer New Year greetings.
Words: Gong xi fa cai meaning "congratulations for your wealth" or wan shi ru yi meaning "may all your wishes be fulfilled".

Step 2: Fish, symbolising abundance or excess through the year, is added.
Words: Nian nian you yu and you yu you sheng.

Step 3: The pomelo is added over the fish, adding both luck and auspicious value.
Words: Da ji da li.
Pepper is then dashed over the ingredients in the hope of attracting more money and valuables.
Words: Zhao cai jin bao.
Then oil is poured, circling the ingredients to increase all profits 10,000 times and to encourage money to flow in from all directions.
Words: Yi ben wan li and cai yuan guang jin.

Step 4: Carrots are added to the fish, indicating blessings of good luck.
Words: Hong yun dang tou.
Then the shredded green radish is placed on the fish, symbolising eternal youth.
Words: Qing chun chang zhu.
Next, the shredded white radish is added for prosperity in business and promotion at work.
Words: Feng sheng shui qi and bu bu gao sheng.

Step 5: The condiments are finally added. First, peanut crumbs are dusted on the dish, symbolising a household filled with gold and silver. As an icon of longevity, peanuts also symbolise eternal youth.
Words: Jin yin man wu.
Sesame seeds quickly follow symbolising a flourishing business.
Words: Sheng yi xing long.
Deep-fried flour crisps in the shape of golden pillows are then added with wishes that literally translate to mean the whole floor would be filled with gold.
Words: Pian di huang jin.

Step 6: All toss the salad an auspicious seven times with loud shouts of lo hei and other auspicious New Year wishes.
Words: Lo hei which is Cantonese for "tossing luck".
The ingredients are mixed by pushing them toward the centre, an encouragement to push on the good luck of all at the table.

 4. Some fruit and plants symbols
Tangerine symbolises ‘good tidings’ as it sounds like ‘good luck’ in Chinese.  Oranges symbolises wealth as it sounds like ‘gold’ in Cantonese.

New Year plant, peach blossom symbolises ‘courage and hope’. The blossoms burst forth at the end of winter season on a seemingly lifeless branch.

Lucky bamboo means ‘bamboo that invites good fortune’. Lucky Bamboo represents the natural 5 elements of water, earth, wood, metal and fire to balance the flow of energy or ‘chi’ in the house.  A red ribbon is tied around the stalks to represent the fire element

Tray of togetherness traditionally made up of eight compartments. The number ‘eight’ symbolises good fortune. Some choices are

• Sweeten Candied Winter Melons – ‘Tian Tian Mi Mi’ signify ‘a sweet and easy life’
• Sweeten Lotus Root – ‘Jia Ou Tian Chen’ signify ‘marital bliss’ or ‘match made in heaven’
• Sweeten Tangerine – ‘Ji Xiang Ru Yi’ signify ‘auspiciousness’
• Sweeten Shredded Coconut Pieces – ‘Yong Jie Tong Xin’ signify ‘everlasting love’
• Sweeten Ginger – ‘Wan So Wu Jiang’ signify ‘longevity’
• Sweeten Carrots – ‘Jin Ying Cai Bao’ signify ‘wealth and precious jewels’
• Sweeten Lotus Seeds – ‘Lian Shen Gui Zi’ signify ‘fertility’
• Sweeten Dried Red Dates – ‘Hong Yun Dang Tou’ signify ‘good luck in every endeavour’
• Sweeten Water Chestnut – ‘Dong Chen Xi Jiu’ signify ‘accomplishment in all activities’
• Sweeten Pineapple – ‘Fei Huang Teng Da’ signify ‘great achievement in career or business’
• Sweet Potato – ‘Huang Jing Man Tong’ signify ‘overflowing pot of gold’
• Sweeten Mandarin Orange – ‘Da Ji Da Li’ signify ‘auspiciousness’
• Sweeten Dried Longans – signify ‘many good sons’
• Pistachio Nuts – ‘Kai Xin Guo’ in Chinese which means ‘happiness’
• Red Melon Seeds – red colour signify ‘joy and happiness’