Home > Festivals > Chinese New Year in Hong Kong

Chinese New Year in Hong Kong

Chinese New Year (CNY) is one of the most celebrated festivals in Hong Kong. The first 3 days of first month in lunar calendar are public holidays.  For the year 2008 it falls on 7 Feb on the regular calendar.  In the Chinese zodiac cycle this will be the year of the Mouse. For 2009 it is on the 26 Jan and it will be the Ox.

This is such a big festival that most shops and small restaurants will be closed on those 3 days and some up to 8 to 10 days.  Big dim sum or seafood restaurants will stay open although 20% service charge may be charged instead of 10% (the normal rate).  So, you may want to make the Chinese New Year your last day in Hongkong.

Many industries, particularly printing and construction, tend to close for even longer as many of the workers are from the Mainland of China and will take long trips back to their home towns during this time to visit family.

When it comes to eating out in Hong Kong during Chinese New year also watch out for the day or the weekend before Chinese New Year because families will have a get-together-dinner in Chinese restaurants.  You either reserve a table or try a different cuisine.

Don't miss out: every year there are big markets in many districts in Hong Kong.  The biggest one is probably the flower market in Victoria Park in Causeway Bay. The market typically runs a few days before the lunar new year and last until dawn of the first lunar new year day.  The day before the lunar new year is the busiest and most crowded moment for the market.  You may want to avoid that though as a local it is considered the best time to go.  In the market, you will find half of it is occupied by flower kiosks.  Peach blossoms, chrysanthemum, daffodils, orchids and various kinds of flowers are available.  Snacks, toys and various kinds of junk will occupy the rest of the market.  Don't forget to bargain!

A lot of New Year only things are sold like special miniature orange trees for good luck.  These can be quite expensive, but the price drops rapidly towards the end of the new year evening as the sellers know they will not be able to sell them at all the next day. 

It is a nice fun day out for the family, but I'm not sure it will mean a lot to visitors.  As a local it is something of a tradition to go along and see what is going on and to get into the festive feel.  Everybody dresses up nicely and so on.

Other things that happen during the New Year are the "International Chinese New Year Night Parade", this is held on the day of the new year.  There will be floats and bands and costumed dancers and stuff like that.  In previous years it was held at night.

You can watch from the roadside if you don't mind getting there a few hours early, or you can buy a ticket for a seat in the spectator stands for the best view.

On the second night of the Chinese New Year, there is  a 20-minute fireworks above the Victoria Harbour.  If your hotel room has a sea view, it's best to watch it there if you want to avoid the crowd.

The story about Chinese New Year:

In the old days, there was a monster lived near a village.  This monster was called 'Year Monster'.  It doesn't like red and it doesn't like noise.  So villagers would stick red paper on their doors and red fire crackers were lit to make loud noises so as to scare the monster.  When the villagers knew that the monster had gone, they would greet and bless each other.  That's why Chinese people lit fire crackers and stick red blessing note on our door. 

In the first week and up to the first month, people visit their own families, relatives and friends to greet each other.  Everybody dress up in new clothes.   Edible things like biscuits, chocolate or fruits will be given to the host as presents and the host has to return a small red packet with money to return the luck.  When people meet, they wish each other good luck and married couples have to give 'lai see' (red packet with money) to children and not married adults (not too old though, maybe under mid 20).     'Lai see' means luck so when one gives out 'lai see', that means he has plenty of luck to share with others.  Therefore, when a couple sees a child, they have to give out 2 'lai see'.  The 'market price' for 'lai see' is about $20 per packet for ordinary friend's kids, more for closer friends, relatives and families.  $10 for people who you don't know, like, if you meet someone in your friends' home.  Unlucky words and curses are completely forbidden during Chinese New Year. 

A new tradition now is to send Chinese New Year greeting cards, in the past this was not done but now that families are so spread out around the world people send cards with the good wishes for the New Year.  And now that we live in the internet world you can even send Chinese New Year Greeting Cards.  Send one to a Chinese friend of  yours!

Another site that is dedicated to Chinese New Year, and also has greeting cards, is www.101chinesenewyear.com; you'll find Chinese New Year Ecards and Year of the Rooster cards.

Celebration of Chinese New Year nowadays is very different from the old days.  Click here to see the differences.

Write Your Own Hotel Review -- Earn US$25