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Chinese New Year
The biggest festival of the year and the start of the new Lunar calendar in the Chinese culture. Flower markets sprung up out of nowhere displaying containers of chrysanthemums, gladioli’s, peach/plum branches and bowls of spring bulbs like narcissi’s. It was important that the flowers be fully opened for Chinese New Year day as this brought the most amount of good fortune. Flower growers were always fearful of an early bloom because of this requirement. Kumquat trees were displayed in pots everywhere, outside offices, shops, homes - all symbols of good luck and prosperity. The big thing for most families was for homes to be squeaky clean prior to the New Year, with outstanding debts being settled. The sale of the lucky red packets (Hong Bao in Mandarin and Lai See in Cantonese) started appearing in the streets and shops in the weeks prior (straight after Christmas). Gifts of money were put inside these packets and given to children, families, neighbours. Married couples gave to unmarried friends and employers gave to employees with the amount being at the discretion of the giver. Whilst this was an old tradition and modern families were still conforming with this practice, it was becoming a strain for households to feel obligated to have to sustain their contributions. Red banners with gold Chinese characters hung on doors and windows expressing good luck and good fortune. There were strict procedures to be adhered to in the placement of such good luck symbols for fear of creating the opposite affect.
The traditional greeting of “Kung Hei Fat Choy” meant good wishes and good fortune and was usually said with both hands clasped together in an up and down shaking effect. The Chinese family reunion dinner was an important event and was held on the first night of the Chinese New Year holiday, being Lunar New Years eve. It was recognised in the same tradition as a Christmas dinner which was celebrated in the western culture where families gathered together and ate a special assortment of food for that time of year. It did not seem to bother people that prices were usually about 1/3 higher, the tradition was all important. As with the tradition of the western New Year, it was also necessary to sit up until midnight and see the New Year in.
It was also a significant time for purchasing new clothes, especially for children where little boys could be seen in 3 piece suits and little girls in velvet red dresses or traditional costume.
More shops and businesses closed at this time of year than any other time in the Asian culture, most for the 3 day public holiday but some for a good deal longer. Nathan Road, normally heavily congested with traffic, could be seen with hardly a motorist in sight and the vision of roller doors down on every shop in this area was an unfamiliar sight during daylight hours at any other time of the year, almost ghost-like. A lot of families journeyed to visit relatives in China and the border posts were crowded with extra staff rostered on to process the additional influx.
Expats made use of the long break and usually left Hong Kong for nearby destinations even though prices for holiday packages escalated at this time. Nevertheless, there was still a lot of activity scheduled with a festive parade in Tsim Sha Tsui on the first day of the Lunar New Year and a large fireworks display the following night which was held over Victoria Harbour. Many thousands turn out to witness both events. 
