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It’s Time to Celebrate the Lunar/Chinese New Year in San Francisco!

Sunday, February 14, 2010, marked the start of Chinese Lunar New Year 4708…Year of the Tiger. This year the San Francisco Chinese New Year parade will be on Saturday, February 27.

by Syndi Seid,
Business Protocol and Etiquette Expert

Syndi Seid

The parade is one of the Top 10 parades in the world according to the International Fesitval and Arts Association! And it’s one of the few reamining night illumninated parades in the US. Filled with pagentry and music it is a wonderful way to celebrate the Chinese New Year.

I love celebrating this holiday. And there are many ways that YOU too, can celebrate the Chinese New Year.

Here are 8* ideas for you to do in the next week:

(*Curious, do you know why I chose to provide only 8 tips? Why not 7 or 9, or 10 tips? Learn the answer at the end of this article.)

1. Clean your house from top to bottom before the New Year arrives. It’s never too late to clean house.

2. Decorate your home with special paper greetings, flowers, and fruits. Tie greeting cards and good luck symbols on a blooming tree you can purchase or make one yourself. By having or placing an abundance of fragrant flowers and fruits on the tree, the luckier the family will be in the New Year.

3. Wear new clothes on the first day of the New Year. Although the first day has past, to me, it’s never too late for a woman to wear new cloths to help signify the beginning of a new, clean and fresh year.

4. Learn to say Happy New Year in Chinese or Vietnamese: Kung Hei Fat Choy (Mandarin) or Gung Hay Fat Choy (Cantonese) Chuc Mung Nam Moi (Vietnamese, celebrating Tet)

5. Enjoy a Chinese banquet. Ideally in multiples of ten, this is a great holiday to invite friends to enjoy a Chinese banquet together. It is still one of the most economical ways to host or share in a great meal together. It is a time to renew friendships and love that is intended to last the entire year.

6. Give children good luck money. Everyone becomes a year older with the New Year, no matter when your birthday actually occurs. Give children red envelopes called “Lai See” or a “Hong Bow” with “good luck” money inside. This tradition is also used for many other festive occasions, in lieu of modern gift-giving practices.

7. Call eight friends you haven’t connected with for some time to say hello. In the Chinese culture the number 8 signifies good luck. I hope these eight people and I will have good luck throughout the year.

8. Attend one of the events: In addition to the big parade being held on Saturday, 27 February 2010, check out all the other events taking place during this two week celebration! You will find a complete schedule of all festivities at ChineseParade.com.

Bonus: Give chopsticks a chance. Practice manipulating the oldest eating utensils in the world. Here’s a brief video to help you practice.

*Why 8 tips: The number 8 is a sign of good luck in the Asian culture.

Here’s wishing you and yours a great year, filled with much prosperity, happiness, and good health!

Syndi Seid is a recognized authority on business protocol and etiquette. A graduate of the prestigious Protocol School of Washington, in D.C. and the Emily Post Institute, Syndi earned their highest levels of certification, including Certified International Protocol Officer and Corporate Trainer.

Syndi has appeared on several national programs including ABC’s Good Morning America, CBS Eye on America and HGTV’s Party at Home. She is the founder of Advanced Etiquette and trains and consults with major corporations, executives and business professionals to help them achieve confidence in any social situation anywhere in the world! To learn more, please visit her website, AdvancedEtiquette.com.

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