Celebrating Lunar New Year!
How We Can Share the Joy with Friends from East Asia
Photo by kinya jones on UnsplashWritten by Mina Ko, Welcome Churches
Mina oversees our UKHK project, helping to welcome new arrivals from Hong Kong to the UK. Originally from Hong Kong herself, Mina is excellently placed to help the UK Church to welcome new arrivals and learn about Hong Kong culture, particularly for Lunar New Year!
Happy New Year, dear friends! And Happy New Year again soon, especially if you are from, or you have friends from, China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, South Korea, Vietnam or other East and Southeast Asian countries!
This new year I’m referring to is, of course, the Lunar New Year.
Lunar New Year, which falls on 29th January this year, marks the beginning of a new year on the lunisolar calendar. It is a major holiday in Chinese and certain Asian cultures. This holiday is deeply rooted in family traditions, with loved ones gathering to celebrate, share meals, and visit extended family and friends. For those living far from home, Lunar New Year is often a time to reconnect by returning to their hometowns and families.
But what about our friends in the UK who might not be travelling back to celebrate this special occasion this year? We can help them feel at home by celebrating together in meaningful ways:
Sharing Words of Blessing
If your friend speaks Mandarin (Putonghua), you can wish them a “Happy New Year” by saying “Xin nian kuai le” (新年快乐). For Cantonese speakers, the common greeting is “Gong hei fat choy” (恭喜發財), which means “wishing you a year of prosperity.” In Christian circles, you might instead say “San nin faai lok” (新年快樂), which is the Cantonese equivalent of “Happy New Year.”
Sharing Meals
In Chinese culture, the reunion dinner on New Year’s Eve is as significant as a Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner. If you know someone living in the UK on their own or without their extended families, consider inviting them to share a meal during the Lunar New Year period (28th-31st January). It doesn’t need to be elaborate - it’s the thought and the gesture that count.
Sharing Space
Apart from meals, celebrating together can be as simple as offering to help with their Lunar New Year plans. If your church has several Chinese or East Asian families, you might ask if they have anything planned and offer support. You could also encourage them to invite the wider church community to join their celebrations. If they need a venue, why not offer church spaces? Even a casual potluck meal can be a delightful way to celebrate.
You can also consider organising a Cultural Sharing Event, where members of your community can learn about Lunar New Year traditions, such as the symbolism behind red envelopes (lai see), dragon dances, or the significance of specific dishes.
Decorating Together
Making decorations together is an engaging and fun activity for families.
Spring couplets (fai chun): Cut red paper into rectangular strips, provide brush pens or black markers, and invite children and adults to write new year wishes on them. These can be displayed at home or in the church.
Paper lanterns: Simple red paper lanterns are an easy and enjoyable craft for children. You can find the craft instructions here.
Conclusion
Lunar New Year is a time of joy, reflection, and togetherness. This season offers a unique opportunity to extend hospitality, love, and understanding to those around us. By sharing blessings, meals, and experiences, we can create meaningful connections with our friends and neighbours from East Asia.
Why not take the first step? Share the fun and the love, and make this Lunar New Year a time of blessing for your new neighbours. After all, nothing brings people closer than celebrating together!
Looking to share festive blessings with your friends from Hong Kong or add some Lunar New Year cheer to your church? Download our printable fai chun, cut them out, and hang them up wherever you like! Each design features traditional Chinese characters with English explanations of the blessings, making it easy for the whole community to join in the celebration.
