Time to Celebrate! Chinese New Year
Just when you thought the holidays were over – there’s one more you won’t want to miss. Chinese New Year falls on January 25 this year. Consider joining in with a whopping quarter of the world’s population to celebrate this fun holiday. While this holiday falls on a different day each year, it’s always celebrated during the 15-day Spring Festival season, stretching from Chinese New Year to the Lantern Festival.
The Chinese New Year is the Chinese festival that celebrates the beginning of a new year on the traditional Chinese calendar. It can also be called the Lunar New Year because countries such as North and South Korea and Vietnam celebrate it as well. Chinese New Year is the most significant holiday in China as well as surrounding countries. In fact, most employees in China are given at least seven days off for this holiday season and children get a one-month reprieve from school. It’s also become a popular celebration in China towns around the world and is one of the globe’s most celebrated holidays.
There are many traditions that surround Chinese New Year, the biggest perhaps is celebrating by having a reunion dinner with family. Children are given beautiful red envelopes stuffed with money, which in folk culture is believed to keep children safe. Decorations, mostly red, include an upside down fu, dui lian, lanterns, year paint and paper cuttings.
Chinese New Year also starts a new animal’s zodiac year, with 2020 being the year of the Rat. ✨?
Your animal can decide your career, health and relationship success. In terms of yin and yang, the Rat is yang and represents the beginning of a new day. In Chinese culture, rats were seen as a sign of wealth and surplus. Because of their reproduction rate, married couples also prayed to them for children.
Traditional foods eaten on this holiday are noodles to ensure happiness and longevity; dumplings and spring rolls for wealth; sweet rice balls for family togetherness, rice cakes for higher income; tangerines and oranges for fullness and wealth and fish for an increase in prosperity.
Speaking of food, while the Outer Banks doesn’t have a China town, it has plenty of great local OBX restaurants that serve traditional Chinese fare to help you celebrate.
The goal at Juicy King is to provide an unforgettable dining experience for all our patrons. Casual, hands-on joint for Cajun crawfish, shrimp, mussel, clam & lobster with a choice of seasonings & spice levels.
In Kitty Hawk, Sanya Sushi has a complete sushi bar and hibachi grill as well as a great selection of Chinese favorites.
Another wonderful place to ring in the Chinese New Year is Shun Xing Chinese Restaurant. Specializing in Szechuan, Hunan and Cantonese style, Shun Xing offers a wide variety of Chinese favorites.
What’s in Your Bowl? It’s all about the bowls and what’s in each at Khan’s Mongolian Grill in Kill Devil Hills. Each bowl that you create begins with top quality shaved meat and the best seafood, fresh-cut veggies, and special created sauces and spices. Mix and match for the perfect bowl.
So even if you can’t be in China come Jan. 25th, it turns out there are plenty of great restaurants here on the Outer Banks to help you bring in the new year!