Lunar New Year is one of the most important traditional Chinese festivals in Hong Kong. It marks the beginning of the lunar calendar and is a time for family reunions and ushering in good luck and prosperity for the coming year. The festive atmosphere is characterised by vibrant decorations, traditional lion dances and celebrating activities, and the exchange of red pockets containing money symbolising good luck.
Phoebe Leung, Key worker on the Jobs for Hongkongers initiatives tells us more:
“Lunar New Year is a time for not just taking time off from work and school, but also for families to celebrate together and greet one another. I was delightful to see beautiful red lanterns around St. Peter's Square in Manchester recently, which reminded me that it's time to plan my activities for the year ahead and celebrate Lunar New Year with my friends and family.
"Usually, Lunar New Year starts with the new moon on the first day of the first lunar month and ends on the full moon 15 days later. The first three days of the Lunar New Year, would be marked in Hong Kong as the public holidays and we’d mainly celebrate in the first three days."
Lunar New Year is not only a celebration for people from Chinese heritage… everyone take part. There are lots of things you can do during the Lunar New Year to celebrate and get involved.
Jo Li, Marketing Business Partner in our GM Business Growth Hub is formerly from Hong Kong and told us how he’ll be celebrating Lunar New Year, and encourages colleagues to get involved:
“Celebrations often revolve around elaborate feasts featuring symbolic dishes, such as fish for prosperity and dumplings for wealth. Families clean their homes thoroughly before the lunar new year to sweep away bad luck and make way for good fortune.
“During the Lunar New Year, I will visit my parent and relatives in Cumbria to celebrate with them. The atmosphere is lively, with a sense of joy and community spirit. A simple expression of ‘Kung Hei Fat Choy’ (well-wishes for a prosperous year) when we come together holds significant meaning for us.
“Colleagues in GC interested in joining Lunar New Year festivities can extend warm wishes, explore articles about the celebration, and engage in virtual activities like mini-quizzes centred on Lunar New Year traditions. These contribute to bridging cultural gaps and nurturing a spirit of inclusivity.
Alex Chan, Communications Officer at GC, also formerly tom Hong Kong explained how Lunar New Year is a celebrated by many cultures and introduces us to his favourite treat for the occasion:
“The Lunar New Year is a significant event celebrated by millions across the globe. It marks the beginning of the new year based on the lunar calendar. While it may be commonly thought of as a “Chinese” festival, it’s actually celebrated by numerous cultures in the oriental region, including Korean, Vietnamese, Singaporean, and Malaysian, among others. Each culture has its own unique traditions for this festival and even celebrates it on different dates. However, it’s all about family and good wishes.
“Even though we are far away from our homeland, we celebrate a festival in a traditional manner to preserve our memories. The best way to do so was to recreate the tastes of our upbringing and share them with our local community. The best dish to accomplish this mission would definitely be a turnip cake.
“Chinese culture has many superstitions based on wordplay. During the Lunar New Year, cake recipes are particularly popular, as the Chinese word for “cake 糕” sounds exactly like the word for “high 高,” which is seen as a symbol of higher growth and prosperity. Therefore, eating turnip cake during the Lunar New Year is seen as a wish for higher success, increased happiness, better health, and greater prosperity.
“In today’s world of the internet, finding a recipe for Turnip Cake online isn’t difficult. However, like every Italian ma’am has their own recipe for homemade ragu, every Hong Kong family has its secret ingredients for their turnip cake. As they are known for their adaptability, some might even enhance their recipe with local ingredients. So, next time you visit your friends and neighbours from Hong Kong, try their homemade turnip cake. I bet you will never forget that favour and will definitely be asking for more!”
Jonathan Wharton, Communications Officer at GC told us about his experience of Lunar New Year from childhood to later working and living in Hong Kong:
“My experiences of Lunar New Year in Hong Kong can be divided into three…
“The first is when I was growing up in Hong Kong, from age 6 to 13. The new year then as all about lion dances, parades, fireworks and fun.
“The next one is when I was in Hong Kong working and Lunar New Year meant a holiday and an opportunity to drink with friends!
“The final one was when I was married and while it still involved drinking, there were also family visits for meals and going to temples and lighting incense sticks.”
The Jobs for Hongkongers team are buzzing with activity this Lunar New Year – which falls on 10th February. They’ve been part of various events in Stockport, Trafford as well as London to celebrate and promote our initiative within the Hong Kong community. Find out more in this article.
To support migrants from Hong Kong in the North West, Jobs for Hongkongers was set up in 2023 by GC across the North-West of England, to support Hong Kong British National (Overseas) residents coming to our region. This site provides access to employment and support services.
The initiative provides a searchable list of vacancies with employers who have committed to providing good job opportunities in a supportive environment.
Since launch, Jobs For Hongkongers has supported over 70 people, helping them with everything from CV preparation to English language skills. Participants have come from every corner of the North, including Greater Manchester, Lancashire, South Yorkshire, and West Yorkshire.
The programme has also contributed to several high-profile events:
- Three Salford Tea meetings organised by the Salford Hongkongers CIC in September, October, and November
- Sheffield Migrant Festival
- Empowering Your Business with Migrant Talent event
- Let’s Talk Careers fair in Manchester
- Migration Yorkshire Jobs Fair in Leeds
- NHS Jobs Fair in Sheffield
Phoebe Leung, also gave us some ideas and tips for how to get involved this Lunar New Year:
Go to Lunar New Year Market
It usually happens before Lunar New Year and the market featuring food, handicrafts, and artwork, as well as live traditional and music performances.
Have reunion dinner with your family and friends
Gathering around a bubbling hot pot (the left picture), putting in all kinds if different ingredients in your favourable stocks, getting whatever you like and chatting with each other. Besides, we also have different kinds of traditional dishes, and some may go for Poon Choi (the right picture), an auspicious one-pot dish served in a very big pot during festive periods.
Make your own Fai Chuns
Write down your New Year wishes on rectangular red paper and stick them to doors and rooms to make your wishes come true.
Join the Dragon Parade
A Dragon parade will be taking place around Manchester. The Dragon Parade - Loads To Do
Play Mahjong
Mahjong is the most popular activities we would do during the Lunar New Year. It is a game of skill, strategy, and a bit of luck, often enjoyed by friends and family gathering together.
