Chinese New Year or Lunar New Year doesn't have a specific date. The New Year comes on the second new moon after the winter solstice (December 21). In 2025, it falls on January 29, and it's the year of the green tree snake.
For the Chinese, New Year's Eve is not only a holiday, it is an important time for cleansing the soul, forgiving offenses. Also, on New Year's Eve they bring gifts to the Gods so that they protect and help all year round.
The holiday is considered a purely family holiday. On the evening before New Year's Eve, the family gathers for a festive dinner, which is held under the sign of "unity of the family."
Dishes made from red beans or green beans occupy a special place on the festive table. Since ancient times in China, beans have been endowed with the property of a talisman against evil spirits and serious diseases. Beans are used not only to make side dishes or salads, but also to make tortillas, pies, and porridges.
The New Year's table cannot do without the traditional boiled rice, which is considered the "meeting rice of the Gods". Dishes of beans and rice are placed on a special sacrificial table designed to meet the Gods, and it is also decorated with vases of flowers, red candles, and garlands depicting the famous eight immortals (ba Xian), the God of longevity, or the most popular deities of wealth.
The main dishes on the festive table are usually fried chicken and fish, which are served whole. A mandatory dish is also dumplings (jiaozi), which are made by the whole family the day before. Dumplings are made with different fillings, including a surprise, who gets such a dumpling, the year will bring happiness.
Also, a mandatory attribute of the festive table is traditional Chinese noodles, which symbolize longevity - the longer the noodles, the longer the life will be. Therefore, to celebrate the new year, they try to cook the dough themselves in order to make the noodles as long as possible.
In addition to the main dishes, there are many appetizers on the table: pickled mushrooms and vegetables, sweet pies, mandarins and other fruits. And, of course, a lot of canned ginger, which is considered an excellent helper for the body to properly digest food.
More and more events dedicated to the celebration of the New Lunar Year are taking place in Russia every year. The center of Moscow is decorated with red Chinese lanterns, Chinese artists perform and even decorate the estate of Santa Claus in Chinese style, and many restaurants include traditional Chinese dishes on the menu.
And it's also a good reason to meet your loved ones and celebrate the new year according to the Eastern calendar in the Chinese style.
