Chinese New Year, or the Spring Festival, is the most important celebration observed in Asian, with cultural and historic significance. The festival signals the beginning of spring, and the start of a new year according to the Chinese lunar calendar.

Lunar New Year was this Friday, February 12, and that means 15 days of celebrating the Year of Metal Ox.

The metal element represents anything sparkly from jewelry to the needle of a syringe. So we can see a bigger emphasis on industries related to metal in 2021.

The Ox, in Chinese culture, is a hardworking zodiac sign. It usually signifies movements so, hopefully, the world will be less static than last year and get moving again in the second half of the year.

 

Last year was a very tough year for manys of us, toward the end of last year I lost a childhood friend of mine, he was smart and health and the beginning of this year I lost another good friend , A very health and gentle soul and we climbed Kilimanjaro together. 

That was a wake up call for me, its important to connect and reconnect with people who are special to us.

During this very difficult, seeing a lot of people are suffering out there,  I humbly started Impilo Collection Foundation.  With our first food drive,  we successfully collected 10 tons of food and bags of clothes.  We equally distributed to the shelter of Gender Based Violence in Katlehong, Tembisa Child and Family Welfare Society and Hong Ning Chinese Aged Home.

 

Chinese New Year is a very special time, it’s time to regroup, reflect, reconcile and giving with gratitude. 

I often think Chinese New Year is a good time do our new year resolution, also a good reason for us to celebrate, because the more we celebrate the more reasons for us to celebrate.

 

What’s the reason, Chinese Wear New Red or Colorful Clothes at CNY?

It is believed that wearing new clothes from head to toe symbolizes a new start and fresh hopes for the New Year. Chinese believe that New Year’s Day sets the tone for the rest of the year, so everyone tries to dress well.  Red is a good luck color, believed to scare away spirits of bad fortune.  Chinese usually wear red or other brightly-colored clothes on New Year’s Day, to go with the festive and upbeat mood. Black or white, symbolic of mourning and death would not be appropriate. Learn more about Lucky Colors in Chinese Culture.

 

Eating food is a very culturally symbolic act, every item that you want to put on the table should carry some meaning.

 

  1. Fish — an Increase in Prosperity
  2. Chinese Dumplings — Wealth
  3. Spring Rolls — Wealth
  4. Glutinous Rice Cake — a Higher Income or Position
  5. Sweet Rice Balls — Family Togetherness
  6. Longevity Noodles — Happiness and Longevity
  7. Good Fortune Fruit — Fullness and Wealth

 

I hope you all have a prosper, health and fulfil year ahead with alots of fortune. 

 

“Happy Chinese New Year” is “xin nian kuai le