Celebrate the Year of the Snake with us!

What is the Lunar New Year?

Lunar New Year (also known as Chinese New Year or Spring Festival) is one of the most widely celebrated holidays across Asia and around the world, lasting up to 16 days. Described as “a celebration of the arrival of spring”, it is also a time to celebrate new beginnings, the arrival of new fortunes and a chance to spend time with loved ones.

Keep reading to find out how the Lunar New Year is celebrated and how Residential Life plans to celebrate it🎇.

Zodiacs 

Each year in Chinese tradition, is represented by one of 12 zodiac animals (rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, ram (or goat), monkey, rooster, dog and pig.

Fun fact: The order in which the animals are celebrated is significant; it comes from a story that the 12 animals ran to determine who would be celebrated first. Surprisingly, out of all the animals, the rat won the race!

Each animal is associated with different characteristics. This year is the Year of the Snake, and for those who may be wondering, people born in the Year of the Snake tend to be wise, intelligent, enigmatic, and resilient. They also “have a deep and complex mind, but if they love, they love with their entire heart”🤗.

Curious about your zodiac sign, check out this website to find out more https://chinesenewyear.net/

Throughout the city of London, the Year of the Snake will be celebrated in many ways. We will be celebrating by taking residents on a trip to Chinatown for the spectacular Lunar New Year Parade. You will get to experience the famous lion dance in person.

Red Envelopes🧧

During the holiday, parents and elders gift children red envelopes (Lai See or Hongbao). This exchange also happens between friends and co-workers. These envelopes are filled with money, specifically clean and crisp notes.

This is done to signify the transfer of luck from one generation to another and to wish the person receiving the envelope luck for the new year.

To keep up with tradition, Residential Life will be giving away a limited number of red envelopes filled with a surprise inside.

Date📅: Wednesday 29 January

Location🔴: Various locations

Time⏲: Various times

Find out when the red envelopes will be distributed at your hall of residence here.

Decorations🏮 

You may notice that many aspects of the Lunar New Year feature the colour red. In Chinese culture, the colour red symbolises luck, prosperity, and success. As a result, nearly all the decorations, such as lanterns and couplets, used during the Lunar New Year are red.

Another colour commonly used is gold; characters written on the decorations are often written in gold to represent wealth, luck and good fortune. 

Halls such as Floyer, Dawson, Aspire, Blithehale, Sherren, and the Residences Reception will be decorated for the Lunar New Year.

If you would like to get involved with the decorating, you can come down at the following date and times:

• Floyer House, Foyer (Monday 27 January, 12pm- 1pm)
• Dawson Hall, Foyer (Monday 27 January, 1-2pm)
• Aspire Point, Reception (Monday 27 January, 1:30 - 2:30pm)
• Blithehale Court, Reception (Monday 27 January, 11:15 - 11:45am)
• Sherren House, Reception (Monday 27 January, 10:30 -11am)

Food🍜🍚

An important element in many cultures is food and during the Lunar New Year, lucky foods such as fish, spring rolls, Tangyuan (Sweet Rice Balls), longevity noodles and dumplings are consumed. Interestingly, dumplings are supposed to be eaten at every meal, every day.

Want to try out some of the foods traditionally eaten during the Lunar New Year? 

Well, you're in luck as The Curve will be offering a special menu for the Lunar New Year for £7, and Residential Life has partnered with them to offer residents the chance to enjoy a festive meal at a discounted price of £3!

You can purchase your ticket for the meal from the Residences Reception from Monday 27 - Wednesday 29 January.

*Please note that the number of discounted meals for residents is limited, so get your ticket ASAP to avoid disappointment.*

Date: Wednesday 29 January

Time: 4-7pm

The meal will include a choice of 2 proteins from the following

• Chicken with red peppers in Szechuan pepper sauce
• Tofu with red peppers, and shitake mushrooms in char sui sauce
• Coley with ginger and spring onion sauce
• Plant-based salt and pepper chicken with bamboo sauce

All served with

• Vegetable chow mein
• Steamed rice
• Quinoa gyoza 

We wish all residents a Happy New Year and look forward to seeing you at our events!