Chinese New Year

(year begins on 1/26/2009)
(First Day of the Year of the Ox falls on 1/26/2009)

Chinese New Year starts with the New Moon on the first day of the New Year and ends on the full moon 15 days later. Each year is represented by one of the twelve animals of the Chinese zodiac. 2009 is the year of the Ox.


The Chinese calendar is based on a combination of lunar and solar movements. The lunar cycle is about 29.5 days. In order to "catch up" with the solar calendar the Chinese insert an extra month once every few years (seven years out of a 19-year cycle). This is the same as adding an extra day on leap year. This is why, according to the solar calendar, the Chinese New Year falls on a different date each year.


New Year's Eve and New Year's Day are celebrated as a family affair, a time of reunion and thanksgiving. A Chinese proverb states that all creations are reborn on New Year’s day. The Chinese New Year is a celebration of change ... out with the old and in with the new!.

In the Far East, this is also the end of winter and the beginning of spring. Farmers take this opportunity to welcome spring as they plant for the new harvest. Thus, the Lunar New Year is also called the Spring Festival.


Traditionally, family will visit each other which is a practice commonly known as New Year visiting. Friends and families will welcome the guests by serving them Circular candy tray (candy for sweet and circular for togetherness which are usually filled with dried fruits, nuts and sweets of all kind. Family and relatives give “Ang Pow” (red packets) containing newly printed money to the young ones.

Symbols of Fortune

Fruits and flowers are also an important part of the New Year Celebration and carry a symbolic meaning. Oranges and tangerines (good health & long life); tangerines with leaves intact (long lasting relationships; fruitful and multiply as in having children); persimmons (happiness and wealth).

Colors: Bright red (happiness); gold/orange (wealth & happiness).

Flowers that bloom on New Year’s Day will represent a prosperous year. Plum blossom stand for courage and hope, peach blossoms stand for luck, Narcissus and Kumquats represent prosperity, Chrysanthemums longevity and sunflowers represent the coming of a good year. They are well display in all Chinese homes and businesses.

Chinese New Year Cuisine

The celebration actually starts on New Year's Eve with the reunion dinner. Dishes consisting of Fish and chicken represent prosperity. Always present the fish and chicken as a whole. Do not cut them in pieces. The head, tail and feet (for chicken) must be presented to symbolize completeness. Long life noodles (rice noodle) represent longevity. Jai - a combination of food that represents good fortune. “Happy family” comprises of baby corn, carrots, Bok Choy, black moss, dried bean curd, mushroom, bamboo shoots, and scallion. Desserts include oranges, Chinese New Year cake (ni gao) and prosperous cakes (they look like golden nuggets). All of these foods are meant to symbolize abundance and wealth for the family.

The fifteenth day marks the end of the Chinese New Year with the Lantern festival. The festival takes place with a parade of bright and colorful lantern of all shapes and sizes. The highlight of festival is the dragon dance which symbolizes the bringing of luck and success to the coming year.

The Staff of Hannibal’s Catering join in on the celebration and wish everyone
Gong Xi Fa Cai... A Happy & Prosperous Chinese New Year!