In the Asian culture, the Chinese New Year starts some time in January or February. It begins on the first New Moon 
after the first Full Moon after the Winter Solstice. Yes, it is tied to the moon cycle.
It is a 15-day long ceremony where gratitude for our lives are acknowledged and celebrated. It involves all areas of our lives. This process allows us to bring both balance and focus into our life.
New Year’s Eve Dinner
Dinner on New Year’s Eve is one of the most important events of the celebration. It is called the “Rounded Yearly Banquet.” Almost all Asian cultures follow a similar format with similar belief s about each food.
Some of the symbolisms associated with various foods are:
- A whole fish for Abundance
- A whole chicken for Completeness
- Meat-filled dumplings shaped like gold money piece for Wealth
- Uncut noodles for Longevity
- Bamboo shoots so that everything will go Easily and Effortlessly
- Mushrooms to Help Your Business Grow and Expand Rapidly
- Green for Good and Fresh Beginnings
- Rice cakes for Profitable Business
- Tangerines for Happiness
New Moon To Full Moon 15-Day Celebration
Activities of the 15-day celebration are:
- Day 1-4: Spent with family. Guests are given lotus seeds and dates for luck
- Day 4: Welcome the Wealth God. More rituals and firecrackers set off at midnight
- Day 5: Businesses re-open
- Day 6-13: Children are on vacation. Grownups go back to work
- Day 14: Preparations for the Lantern Festival in celebration of the full moon and start of the New Year
As you can see by the amount of time allocated, family is culturally very important. Businesses are closed almost a week. Many Western businesses are in the mist of sales during the first week of the New Year.
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