Falling between January and February every year, in 2023 Chinese New Year will begin on the 22nd of January. If you have a loved one that celebrates the festival and are wanting to send one of our lovely Chinese New Year cards their way, but perhaps you’re unsure about what to say? Well, we’re here to help. Just keep on reading to discover a little bit of background into the festival itself along with our Chinese New Year greeting suggestions for friends and family or even colleagues.
What exactly is Chinese New Year?
Also known as Lunar New Year and sometimes the Spring Festival, Chinese New Year is an annual celebration that falls sometime between the 21st of January and the 20th of February. Typically, it lasts for 15 days in total, beginning with the new moon right until the next full moon.
With a history potentially dating back thousands of years, this festival is tied to the lunar calendar which changes every year, hence why it starts on a different date. Repeating on a cycle, each year in the lunar calendar is named after a different zodiac animal, with there being 12 in total – the rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, goat, monkey, rooster, dog, and pig. 2023 is the year of the rabbit, with the rabbit said to symbolise humility, kindness and elegance.
Similar to the other New Year that you’re probably already a lot more familiar with and celebrated on the 1st of January, Chinese New Year is all about saying goodbye to the last year and ringing in the new one. This festival is celebrated worldwide, particularly in East and Southeast Asian culture.
Chinese New Year traditions
Like many other celebrations, there are all sorts of different traditions and rituals associated with Chinese New Year which can also vary by culture, but may include:
- Lai see or hong bao packets – These red packets are often gifted by older people to children and unmarried adults and are filled with money. However, it may come as a surprise that the amount of money inside Is not the focus (well, not completely anyway) as it’s more about the envelope colour being red as this is a symbol of good luck.
- Doing a good clean – Much like a spring clean, a lot of people prepare for Chinese New Year by giving their house a good declutter so that they can have a clean slate in the new year.
- Eating some treats – No true celebration is complete without indulging in festive treats, and the same goes for Chinese New Year. Some of these yummy foods include dumplings, sweet rice balls, and nián gāo aka New Year cake.
- Lantern festival – Perhaps one of the most well-known parts of the festival is all the beautiful lanterns that are lit on the 15th and final day of the Chinese New Year celebrations.
Chinese New Year wishes for friends and family
For any friends and family celebrating this wonderful festival, why not include one of our heartfelt Chinese New Year wishes inside your card:
- May you get everything you deserve this year, I’m always so proud of you. Now it’s time to enjoy the celebrations!
- Happy Chinese New Year! I hope the upcoming year is everything and more.
- Sending you love, happiness, and all my best wishes for the next year.
- I can’t wait to watch you grow and flourish this year, happy new year!
- Now is the perfect time to make plans to go after everything you want in life and I’ll be there with you every step of the way.
Traditional Chinese New Year messages
If you’ve got friends that you really want to impress, why not include a traditional Chinese New Year greeting? Take a look below for some phrases you can give a go:
- 新年快乐 – Xīn nián kuài lè (Happy New Year)
- 年年有馀 – Nián nián yǒu yú (May you have an abundant year)
- 心想事成 – Xīn xiǎng shì chéng (May your heart’s wishes come true)
- 大吉大利 – Dà jí dà lì (Good luck and may you profit)
- 财源滚滚 – Cái yuán gǔn gǔn (May wealth come pouring in)
Simple Chinese New Year quotes
Maybe it’s someone that you’re not particularly close to who’s celebrating, but you still want to send them a nice card. Here are some of our simple Chinese New quotes that work for colleagues, friends of a friend, and other people you don’t know that well:
- May this new year bring all the success and happiness you’re looking for.
- Happy Lunar New Year! Hope you achieve everything you’re after this year.
- Wishing you a blessed Chinese New Year filled with joy.
- I hope that the next year is filled with good luck, wealth, and great health for you and your loved ones. Happy Chinese New Year!
- I hope you have the best year ahead and wish you all the luck in the Year of the Rabbit!
Hopefully, now you’ve got a better idea of how to wish someone a happy Lunar New Year and figured out what you want to write in your Chinese New Year card.
But wait, there’s more! If you’ve got any other celebrations coming up and struggle to find the right words, we’ve got all sorts of what to write articles over on the thortful blog.
