WeChat Calls and Dumpling Wrap-offs - LNY Celebrations and Traditions

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Springs Festival Eve (February 21, 2021) is just one week away. This marks the first day of a 16-day-long holiday festivities that caps off with the Lantern Festival (February 26, 2021). Whether your family only celebrates on New Year’s Day or has customs for every day, we all have traditions that make the holiday feel special to us.

We asked our followers @ChineseCanadianStories on Instagram to share how they celebrate the holiday. Here’s what they said:

“LNY cards and printed photos to family in China”

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The is the chance to catch-up with all your friends and family. A physical card would give a more personal touch.

“WeChat calls to relatives back home”

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Even the least tech-savvy grandparent would know what WeChat is. For people with larger families, these calls could go on for hours spread throughout the week. This is the time for younger folks to say their greetings to relatives before receiving their virtual red envelopes.

“Making food together”

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A special feast takes more than one pair of hands to prepare. This is the time to show-off your best dish and your improved cooking skills. 

“Homemade dumplings”

Dumplings are the perfect food to get everyone involved. One person is responsible for kneading the dough and rolling our the individual dumpling wrappers; another person mixes the filling; everyone else lends a hand in wrapping the dumplings. If you’re like me, you’d always get roasted for how your dumplings stand out like ugly ducklings. 

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“Sitting all together at the table”

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The holiday spirit is about coming together with the ones you love and appreciate. In Chinese culture, Lunar New Year is the time out of the year where people put in their best effort to return home for a family reunion.

“Enjoying food & mahjong”

After dinner, the dining table becomes repurposed for mahjong. For more invested families, they would have an additional square foldable table just for mahjong. The kids go off to watch TV and play while the adults get their game face on.

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How do you celebrate Lunar New Year? We’d love to know!


All quotes were collected via Instagram Stories @ChineseCanadianStories. If you’d like to also participate, follow us for daily LNY content leading up to the holidays!

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What’s on Our Plate? - 年夜饭