🎆Lunar New Year represents Chinese culture the most, and people celebrate traditions with beloved friends👫and family🏠. In 2025, we welcome the year of the snake. Let’s look at the significance of the Year of the Snake and step into the New Year celebration vibe with us!
🐍The Year of the Snake
In traditional methodology📖, the snake symbolizes wisdom and cunning in its strategy to win the twelve-zodiac race. According to the story, it rode on the horse’s back🐎 to cross the river and jumped out to scare the horse in front of the finish line, resulting in the snake's sixth-place 🏅 finish and the horse's seventh-place finish. The coming of the snake year also reminds us to farewell the year of the dragon🐉. By the nature of the snakes, slithering to move, we hope the terrible things 💔 will be gone as the dragon flies away👋 and the good deeds 👍 will come as the snake slithers 🐍 in the new year. In the Taiwanese version, we can say: 「壞運龍總去，好運蛇進來！」
People in Taiwan embrace the festive vibe and enjoy the warm-hearted reunion during the Lunar New Year. There are three must-do events⭐ in our traditions:
🧧People Give / Receive Red Envelopes
Red envelopes (紅包, Hóngbāo), also known as Lucky Money, are one of the joyful traditions at this time. People in Taiwan believe red brings the aroma of joy (喜氣, xǐqì), and the envelope filled with money💰 symbolizes good luck👍 and prosperities💯. It is usually offered by the elders in the family to the younger generation. Some say🗣️, you can receive the red envelope until you are married💍, and some naughty teens suggest being a bachelor long enough just for the lucky money!🤭
🫕Family Has a Reunion and Feast on Lunar New Year's Eve
On Lunar New Year’s Eve, families gather together👨👩👧👦 to give thanks for the past year and look forward to the coming new year.✨ We usually sit around a big round table with a hot pot (圍爐, Wéilú)🍲served in the middle and delicious dishes🥘 to represent the idea of “unity” and “prosperity”. The dishes also carry positive metaphors. For instance, fish🐟 means abundance in the year, and you should leave some parts of the fish uneaten to give hope for the upcoming year. Additionally, dumplings represent wealth💎. The more you eat, the more fortune you will get.🤑
🌞How Locals Celebrate New Year’s Day
Local people celebrate the new beginning by stepping outside on the first day of the Lunar New Year.👣 The outings (走春, Zǒuchūn) symbolize farewell👋 to the old and negative atmosphere and enjoy a fresh start.🤩 Therefore, people usually go hiking or visit famous landmarks in their cities. If you travel to Taiwan during this period, you will witness the real scene of “People mountain people sea”. 👬⛰️👭🌊
💛What is your must-do event during the Lunar New Year festival? Share with us in the comment area!💬
💡References:
https://www.chinese-linguipedia.org/search.html
https://www.history.com/news/symbolic-foods-of-chinese-new-year