Gung Hey Fat Choy!
Jan. 23 ushers in the Year of the Water Dragon

Happy New Year! Or, as the Chinese community says, Gung Hey Fat Choy – wishing you prosperity and wealth!

Chinese New Year, a celebration of the first day of the lunar calendar, begins on Jan. 23, welcoming longevity, wealth and prosperity.

Each year is dedicated to an animal, and this will be the Year of the Water Dragon, which only occurs in the Chinese Zodiac once every 60 years. While dragons represent the strength of powerful Chinese Emperors, the Water Dragon tempers that energy with calm and empathy.

Celebrants traditionally return home to their families for this festival, to share changes they want to make in their lives and to enjoy firecracker and lantern displays as well as dragon dances.

Colours are an important component of the festivities – celebrants typically dress in red, symbolizing happiness, and/or orange, symbolizing wealth.

Typical foods served at meals celebrating this holiday include whole fish and chicken, uncut noodles and, for dessert, oranges and Chinese New Year cake.

“We will start the celebration with a family reunion over dinner,” says Ben Liao, Analyst, in our Benefit Processing department. “My two nephews will stay up into the early hours of New Year morning to wish their parents health and longevity and to receive Red Packets (lucky money) from them.”

“We usually have a family dinner and every dish has meaning,” says Betty Gin, Manager of Benefit Processing in HOOPP’s Client Services and Benefit Processing department. “We try to have dishes representing long life, prosperity, good health and good fortune.”

Gung Hey Fat Choy!!!