How the Lunar New Year is celebrated in different countries across Asia

In China, the celebration is known as the Spring Festival (春节, Chūnjié) and the festivities typically last for 15 days. Families begin preparations well in advance, with a thorough house cleaning to sweep away bad luck. Red lanterns and paper decorations adorn homes and streets, while families gather for the all-important reunion dinner on New Year’s Eve.

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The giving of red envelopes (红包, hóngbāo) filled with money remains a cherished tradition, particularly for children. These packets symbolise good wishes and prosperity for the coming year. The first few days see families visiting relatives, starting with the most senior members, while traditional foods like dumplings (饺子, jiǎozi) and spring rolls feature prominently in celebrations.

In Korea, Seollal (설날) centres heavily around family and respect for ancestors. The celebration begins with cleaning and decorating homes with traditional decorations. Families perform ancestral rites called charye (차례), setting out carefully arranged dishes for their ancestors.

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A highlight of Korean New Year is the sebae (세배), where younger family members perform a deep bow to their elders and receive gifts of money in return. The traditional dish of tteokguk (떡국), a soup made with rice cakes, holds special significance–eating it symbolises becoming one year older, as Koreans traditionally count age by New Year rather than birthdays.

Tết Nguyên Đán, or simply Tết, marks Vietnam’s most important holiday. Preparations often begin a week before the New Year, with families cleaning their homes and purchasing new clothes. The Vietnamese believe the first visitor of the year can determine their fortune, leading to careful selection of who enters the house first.

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Central to Tết celebrations is the custom of decorating homes with flowering peach blossoms in the north and yellow apricot blossoms in the south. Traditional foods include bánh chưng, a square-shaped sticky rice cake wrapped in dong leaves, symbolising the earth. Children receive lucky money in red envelopes called lì xì, while adults exchange wishes for prosperity and good fortune.

Mongolia’s Lunar New Year, known as Tsagaan Sar (White Moon), brings its own distinct traditions. Families prepare weeks in advance by making thousands of buuz (dumplings) and thoroughly cleaning their homes. The celebration emphasises respect for elders, with younger people performing the zolgokh greeting, a specific traditional greeting involving the touching of arms.

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During Tsagaan Sar, tables overflow with traditional dairy products, symbolising the white foods associated with good fortune in Mongolian culture. The holiday also features the wearing of deel, traditional Mongolian clothing, particularly when visiting relatives and participating in formal greetings.

Bhutan’s Losar celebration shares some similarities with Tibetan traditions but maintains its own customs. The new year begins with the preparation of marchang, a butter-flour sculpture offered to deities. Families gather to share meals featuring traditional dishes like desi (sweet saffron rice) and phagsha paa (pork with red chillies).

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Communities organise traditional archery competitions and perform masked dances during this period. Prayer flags are renewed, and people visit local temples to receive blessings for the coming year.

In Singapore and Malaysia, where Chinese communities form a significant part of the population, Lunar New Year celebrations reflect both traditional Chinese customs and local influences. The celebration begins with yusheng or lou sang, a raw fish salad that participants toss together while saying auspicious phrases.

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Shopping districts like Singapore’s Chinatown transform into festive markets selling decorations and traditional goods. Families gather for reunion dinners featuring local interpretations of traditional dishes, while children receive red packets (ang pow) containing money.

Indonesian Chinese communities celebrate the Lunar New Year, known locally as Imlek, with a mix of traditional Chinese customs and Indonesian cultural elements. In cities like Jakarta and Medan, lion dance performances fill the streets, while temples buzz with activity as worshippers offer prayers and incense.

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Traditional foods include rice cakes called kue keranjang (nian gao), while local Indonesian dishes also feature in celebration meals. Many Indonesian Chinese families maintain the tradition of giving ang pao (red envelopes) and visiting relatives during this period.

Filipino Chinese communities celebrate what they call Chinese New Year with enthusiasm, particularly in areas like Binondo, Manila’s Chinatown. The celebration includes dragon and lion dances, firework displays and family feasts featuring both Chinese and Filipino dishes.

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A particular tradition involves placing eight round fruits on the dinner table, representing prosperity and good fortune. Many Filipino Chinese families maintain the tradition of giving ampao (red envelopes) and visiting elder relatives during this period.

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