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There are only a few weeks left before Chinese New Year or Imlek is celebrated all over the world. Just like other holidays, in the run-up to Imlek, many people who celebrate it have started decorating their homes. Chinese New Year is one of the important festivals in the Chinese calendar. During Imlek, families and friends gather to eat together while celebrating the first day of the first month in the Chinese calendar.
If you happen to be planning to host a Chinese New Year celebration this year, there’s no harm in adding various traditional Chinese New Year decorations. From red paper lanterns to kumquat trees, here are some Chinese New Year decoration ideas that will make your home atmosphere even more attractive. Let’s take a look!
Red Lanterns
Red lanterns are believed to ward off bad luck. That is why, during Chinese New Year, many lanterns are seen hanging on trees, streets, office buildings, and house doors. These lanterns are also used in important festivals such as the Spring Festival (Chinese New Year to Lantern Festival) and the Mid-Autumn Festival.
Door Couplets
New Year Couplets are pasted on doors with written wishes or good statements. New Year greetings are usually posted in pairs, as even numbers are associated with good luck in Chinese culture. Couplets are Chinese calligraphy brushwork, in black ink on red paper. Two lines of usually seven (or nine) characters of the couplet are pasted on either side of the doorway. They are usually poems about the coming of spring or some statements about what the occupant desires or believes in, such as harmony or prosperity. Some of these couplets are left up until the following New Year.
Paper Carving
Paper carvings are usually attached to the surface of the walls or window glass of the house. It is a custom for people in northern and central China to attach red paper cuttings to doors and windows. This paper carving contains detailed symbols with different meanings. For example, peaches symbolize longevity, pine trees are interpreted as eternal youth, and plum trees signify good luck. Images of auspicious plants or animals usually provide the theme of New Year paper carvings. Each animal or plant represents a different wish. Each paper carving is believed to bring happiness and good luck to the occupants of the house.
Kumquat Tree
Having a kumquat tree in your home symbolizes the hope for wealth and good fortune. The kumquat tree is a very popular plant displayed during the Chinese New Year holiday, especially in the Cantonese-speaking areas of Southern China in Hong Kong, Macau, Guangdong, and Guangxi.
Blooming Flowers
Chinese New Year, also called the Spring Festival, marks the beginning of spring. It is not uncommon to decorate the home with blooming flowers, which symbolize the arrival of spring and hopes for a prosperous new year. The most popular blooming plants traditionally used during this time are: plum blossom branches, orchids, peonies, and peach blossoms. Plants and flowers are especially popular in Hong Kong and Macau as Chinese New Year decorations.
Find more Chinese New Year decoration ideas below!
