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Virtual Chinese New Year Ideas & Activities

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Virtual Chinese New Year Ideas & Activities

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Xīn nián kuài lè! You found our guide to virtual Chinese New Year.

Chinese New Year is the most important holiday for people of Chinese descent. Many places that have significant Chinese populations, such as China, Taiwan, South Korea, Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore, Indonesia, and the Philippines, celebrate a version of this holiday on the first day of the first month in the lunar calendar. Since the purpose of this holiday is to honor ancestors and often involves traveling, businesses in these countries are often closed for up to a week. This holiday is also known as the Lunar New Year or Spring Festival.

In 2021, the first day of the Chinese New Year will be on Friday, February 12, and it begins the Year of the Ox.

This day is an example of a virtual team celebration and a virtual holiday party.

This guide includes:

Chinese New Year traditions

Chinese New Year food

how to celebrate Chinese New Year

Greetings you can use for the holiday

And more ways to celebrate too!

Let's get into it!

8 Virtual Chinese New Year ideas

If you want to hold a virtual Chinese New Year, then these pointers will help make your event pop, while still remaining respectful of tradition.

1. Unscramble Chinese New Year Word Jumbles

Whether you celebrate with children or adults, word jumbles are a fun, brain-bending way to get into the spirit. These puzzles contain mixed-up versions of holiday words which solvers must decode. For an even more exciting activity, make the jumbles into a race, and award the first participant to list all words correctly with a prize.

We made a template for you to use.

And here is the answer key:

2. Play Virtual New Years Bingo

Bingo is a great game to play for any occasion. In honor of Lunar New Year, we created a holiday-themed Virtual Chinese New Years Bingo template for you to use at your online gathering.

To play, send the card to participants, then give players time to mingle and chat. Players write the name of party companions that fit descriptions in the name on the squares. The first player to get five consecutive squares, without repeating names, wins.

Here are more games to play on video meetings.

3. Set a red dress code

Red is a lucky color in Chinese culture, which is why traditionally people wear this color during Chinese New Year and weddings. Since the holiday also celebrates fresh beginnings, new red clothes are often the ideal outfit choice. To bring this element to your virtual party, institute a dress code, where your team comes in red ensembles.

4. Involve your team's families

Chinese New Year is a holiday that families celebrate together. To integrate this aspect, open up your virtual gathering to your team's family. Since everyone is celebrating from home, it should be easier to get family members to join the fun.

5. Play Chinese New Year songs

Like Christmas, Chinese New Year also has a host of songs associated with it. Spotify created a playlist for the holiday, but many of the user-compiled playlists are good, too. During the festivities, play songs in the background to help set the mood and prevent the event from becoming too dry or boring.

6. Hold a paper cutting workshop

A popular craft related to Chinese New Year is paper cutting. Using red paper, you can create a 3D version of the character for "spring". The craft is pretty simple to do, and does not require many materials to complete. After cutting out your "spring," you also have the option to hang it rightside up or upside down. Because "upside down" in Mandarin sounds like the word for "arrived," by hanging "spring" upside down, you symbolize that spring has arrived.

You may want to do an online art class as well.

7. Watch a lion dance performance

While watching a lion dance performance in person may be out of the question, you can watch recorded performances on YouTube together with your team. In Chinese culture, lions are auspicious animals, which is why stone carvings of lions are often placed outside of temples. Watching the acrobatic performance together can be a cool moment of cultural exchange.

8. Set up a talent show

Previously, I mentioned the elaborate Chinese New Year television specials broadcast in China and Taiwan. The content of these specials consists of popular celebrities displaying talents like dance, singing, or comedy sketches. Your team can take inspiration from these specials by holding a talent show. Not only will you learn more about your teammates' special skills, but talent shows are also great sources of entertainment.

Here are more tips on how to do a virtual talent show.

How to celebrate Chinese New Year online

It may seem far-fetched to celebrate Chinese New Year, a holiday where families often travel across the country to get together, over the internet. However, with the advent of technology, traditions change.

Here is how to celebrate a virtual Chinese New Year:

Step #1: Send virtual invitations

The first step in holding a virtual Chinese New Year is to send virtual invitations letting your team know the date, time, and location of the event. By giving team members this information, you provide them the opportunity to clear their schedules for the festivities.

You can create virtual Chinese New Year invitations at:

Feel free to include a dress code and basic rundown of activities. Since Chinese New Year is a cultural celebration, your coworkers may not be familiar with this holiday.

Step #2: Upload pictures of your clean house

Prior to the festivities, a culturally-sensitive way to get people hyped about the event is to ask colleagues to send a picture of a clean house to your team message board. This action is a reference to Chinese New Year being a time of new beginnings, where Chinese families have the tradition of cleaning their homes.

Step #3: Get online

If you are the host of virtual Chinese New Year, then log into the video conference service before everyone else does to check for technical difficulties. Once you have confirmed that your camera and mic are working, let the other participants enter from the waiting room. Consider using a festive Zoom background to help set the mood.

Step #4: Trade "red envelopes"

Traditionally, older members of the family usually give red envelopes to children, with adult children reciprocating to their parents and grandparents once they start earning money. Additionally, the amount of money included in red envelopes is usually an even number, with people avoiding the number four because the Mandarin pronunciation sounds a lot like "death."

Unfortunately, it may be difficult to trade the iconic red envelopes when celebrating virtually. However, if you are a manager, then give a token of appreciation to your team by giving employees a small bonus.

Here are some more gift ideas for employees.

Step #5: Eat together

One of the main events of Chinese New Year is the food, since eating together with the whole extended family is such a pivotal part of the holiday. Since you are celebrating with your team while everyone is at home, invite colleagues to bring along their family members as you all eat dinner together.

According to Chinese culture, the food you eat during New Year has meanings attached to them, usually due to puns.

Some classic foods to include with Chinese New Year dinner are:

Send this list of food items along to your team, so employees can prepare for dinner. When you share your meal, you and your team will benefit from the lucky associations that each food item has.

Here is a list of online cooking classes you can do with your team.

Fish: "Fish" in Mandarin sounds like "surplus," so by eating this food, you are wishing everyone to have a surplus of good things in the new year.

Dumplings: Dumplings resemble yuanbao, which refers to the golden ingots that were used as ancient Chinese currency.

Apples: "Apple" in Mandarin sounds like "peace."

Mandarin oranges: "Orange" in Mandarin sounds like "luck."

Niangao: Niangao is a pun for "a more prosperous year."

Step #6: Share stories of your family

Another essential component of Chinese New Year is honoring your ancestors. To incorporate this tradition into the festivities, encourage your team to share stories of their family during dinner. Sharing a bit of family history is an excellent way for team members to get to know each other better.

Step #7: Tell stories of the Nian beast

To help explain why the Chinese associate certain traditions with New Years, tell the story of the Nian beast. "Nian" is Mandarin for "year," and the legend speaks of a beast that terrorized villages every year. One day, an old man arrived in town and drove away the beast by setting off firecrackers and wearing red, a color which hurt the Nian beast's eyes. Because of this incident, people celebrating Chinese New Year wear red and set off firecrackers.

Telling this legend is a fun way to expose team members to Chinese culture and explain why certain traditions exist. The story of the Nian beast is especially suitable if colleagues bring their children to virtual Chinese New Year.

Step #8: Set off "firecrackers"

Setting off firecrackers is dangerous indoors. However, playing YouTube videos of people setting off firecrackers is a great way to vicariously and safely experience this tradition. Not to mention, now that your team is familiar with the Nian beast myth, they know the meaning behind this action.

Step #9: Wish everyone a happy new year

Another tradition associated with Chinese New Year is new year's greetings. Many of these sayings have lucky or auspicious meanings to them, and usually work through puns. While celebrating with your team, teach your colleagues how to say a few simple phrases, so you can wish each other happy new year.

Here are the most common greetings:

Saying these greetings aloud to each other, even if pronounced badly, may be an amusing way for team members to let down their guard, while simultaneously learning some phrases in a new language.

Step #10: Stay up as long as you can

新年快樂 (Xīnnián kuàilè): Happy New Year

恭喜發財 (Gōngxǐ fācái): Happiness and prosperity

吉祥如意 (Jíxiáng rúyì): Good fortune according to your wishes

年年有餘 (Niánnián yǒuyú): Surplus year-after-year

大吉大利 (Dàjí dàlì): Lots of luck and profits

恭喜發財，紅包拿來 (Gōngxǐ fācái, hóngbāo ná lái): Wishing you happiness and prosperity; give me a red envelope

Finally, your team can continue celebrating even after the video call ends. In China or Taiwan, the festivities often continue until midnight, with large-scale television specials broadcast to keep family members entertained. These specials reflect a Chinese tradition which states that the longer the younger generations stay up, the longer the older generations will live. While staying up does not have a direct effect on your relatives' longevity, you can still tell your team about this tradition, and see if colleagues decide to give it a try.

Conclusion

Chinese New Year is a very special time in many Asian countries. To do this holiday justice, incorporate as many cultural elements as you can, and educate yourself and your team members during the process. Just do not forget to have fun!

Next, check out our list of virtual New Years ideas and this one with games to play via Zoom.

FAQ: Virtual Chinese New Year

Here are some commonly asked questions about virtual Chinese New Year.

When is Chinese New Year?

Chinese New Year occurs on the first day of the first month of the lunar calendar. Because the lunar calendar is different from the Gregorian calendar, Chinese New Year falls on different dates every year, but usually in either January or February.

How long is Chinese New Year?

Chinese New Year is traditionally 15 days long. However, in practice, many businesses in Asia will take the first three days off to allow for people to travel and see family.

Why is Chinese New Year important?

Chinese New Year is important because it is a time to honor your ancestors and be with family while observing traditions. This holiday is one of the few times per year when extended families come together and share meals.

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Virtual Chinese New Year Ideas & Activities " teambuilding.com

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Xīn nián kuài lè! You found our guide to virtual Chinese New Year. Chinese New Year is the most important holiday for people of Chinese descent. Many places that have significant Chinese populations, such as China, Taiwan, South Korea, Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore, Indonesia, and the Philippines, celebrate a version of this holiday on the first day of the first month in the lunar calendar.

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Lunar New Year 2022: Ways to Celebrate in and Around NYC

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Lunar New Year 2022: Ways to Celebrate in and Around NYC

Many families around NYC are getting ready to celebrate Lunar New Year (Also known as The Chinese New Year) on February 1st. Whether you would rather stay in to celebrate this year or would like to have an excuse to get out of the house, we have made up a list of activities you and your family can take part in to commemorate this holiday!
Looking for more fun activities to do this winter? Check out Things to Do on A Snowy Day in NYC!
Manhattan

May art bring you good fortune! Celebrate the Year of the Tiger, one of the twelve animals of the Chinese zodiac, with performances, interactive activities, and artist-led workshops for all ages.

Enjoy traditional lion dances and ribbon-twirling performances by The New York Chinese Cultural Center. Performances will take place at The Great Room on Level 1.

Enjoy a day of family programs including stories, music, dance, and puppets. To top it off, kids of all ages can take part in this fun event in the comfort of their own home watching on their or

Experience an interactive cartooning workshop, a read-aloud storytime, and a fun New Year art exercise to welcome The Year of the Tiger on a live streamed holiday celebration. No previous Chinese language skills required.

Celebrate the Lunar New Year by bringing the family to this multi-day celebration! All guests will have a chance to watch a live ice carving, kids crafts and more! If you still have some questions regarding the event, call 212-978-1673 for more information.

Celebrate the Lunar New Year - and welcome the Year of the Tiger - with the New York Philharmonic.! You and the family can sit back and enjoy a beautiful performance that will ring in this holiday for everyone.

Brooklyn

Celebrate the passing of a new lunar year with an afternoon of traditional and contemporary Chinese music, a performance of the lion dance, crafts, calligraphy and much more.

Brooklyn Public Library, OnlineFebruary 1, 2-2:30pmBrooklyn Public Library, OnlineVirtual Book Adventure -Bringing in the New Year By Grace Lin

Free

Read along to learn some classic Chinese traditions and cultures that people do to celebrate the new year! Kids ages 0-3 year and their parents can enjoy this fun event by watching on .

Brooklyn Children's Museum, 145 Brooklyn Ave.,Crown HeightsFebruary 5, 10am-1pm or 2pm-5pmCelebrate Lunar New Year

$13; $12 grandparent; free for babies younger than 1 year - Advanced Registration Required

Learn about the festival and traditions of Lunar New Year through storytelling, live music, plus a calligraphy workshop and a rooftop lion puppet parade led by the Chinatown Community Young Lions.

A spectacular production of dazzling props, colorful costumes, mesmerizing music, fantastic acrobatics and lively dance by top notch performers telling the story of the origin of the Chinese Lunar New Year. In this legend, a group of villagers, working, dancing and praying together, defeated a terrifying monster of the ages. A heartwarming story highlights the intrinsic value of coming together, courage, hard-work and ingenuity. It also explains some of the origin of the tradition of the Chinese Lunar New Year when everyone is wearing red, giving red envelopes to children, putting up red decorations, and lighting up all the dark corners with the red firecracker to make loud noises. This pre-recorded program will air on the BPL Facebook page .

Queens

The KTMDC Dance Company will celebrate Lunar New Year with: I'p Chum (Improvisational Dance), Korean Fan Dance, Jindo Drum dance, Hwa-Sun Mu, Janggu Chum, Han-Ryang Mu, and Heartbeat for World Peace. Families who are interested in virtually attending can watch on .

Be a part of a community art project by creating a tiger stripe pattern panel or decorate your own tiger face to hang at the Visitor & Administration Building for the month of February! This project will take place outdoors on the covered terrace. Materials may also be picked up at these times to work on at home and returned for display by February 5 at the Lunar New Year celebration event.

The KTMDC Dance Company will celebrate Lunar New Year with: I'p Chum (Improvisational Dance), Korean Fan Dance, Jindo Drum dance, Hwa-Sun Mu, Janggu Chum, Han-Ryang Mu, and Heartbeat for World Peace. Families who are interested in virtually attending can watch on .

Be a part of a community art project by creating a tiger stripe pattern panel or decorate your own tiger face to hang at the Visitor & Administration Building for the month of February! This project will take place outdoors on the covered terrace. Materials may also be picked up at these times to work on at home and returned for display by February 5 at the Lunar New Year celebration event.

Enjoy stories, rhymes, poetry of the Tang dynasty, three-character classics, songs and fun activities, in Chinese and English with Ms. Janice, early learning assistant at Flushing Library. Families can watch online and can use the event password: 0128 (0128 from phones)

Help usher in the Year of the Tiger at this exciting cultural street fair featuring a holiday attire parade, Chinese folk arts & crafts, paper cutting & Chinese calligraphy, and much more! Portions of this event will take place outdoors and others indoors.

In partnership with the New York Chinese Cultural Center and the Queens Botanical Garden, there will be cultural performances, blossom crafts, a wishing tree, games and prizes for shoppers to participate in. The event will be located on Level 4 near F21 Red.

In collaboration with The Noguchi Museum, Socrates Sculpture Park is pleased to offer a family oriented celebration of Lunar New Year. Participate in a light sculpture workshop led by Noguchi educator Harumi Ori and an accompanying self guided activity that invites audiences to explore Socrates Sculpture Park and the lunar cycle. Light refreshments will be offered and can be enjoyed by a communal fire.

LICSB is offering the Zodiac Animal Movement Workshop for kids ages 3-7 to support the LIC Partnership's first ever LIC Lunar New Year Celebration! The workshop will be led by early childhood ballet instructors and assisted by several Upper Level ballet students. Children will explore the different ways animals move using the zodiac calendar as inspiration and ending with a celebration of the Year of the Tiger. They will be encouraged to hop like a bunny, gallop like a horse, fly like a dragon, etc.

Kick off the Lunar New Year by learning about the ancient legend explaining the animals chosen for the Chinese zodiac. Engaging themed activities include making a fan for retelling the tale, creating confetti poppers in preparation for the Lunar New Year, and more. Some of the center's zodiac residents will be on hand for a memorable meet and greet with the group. Children will enjoy mandarin oranges during a short nature hike exploring the winter trails, making the afternoon special. Children should bring a snack and bottled water.

Help bring good luck by cheering at the lion dance performances. Tag along for a compost tour and go on a winter scavenger hunt to explore the Garden's colors and trees (and nab a goodie bag when you complete your hunt!). Read and listen to stories at the Zodiac Animal Library, participate in the community art project, pick up a take-home craft, and bring home a lucky plant-jade plants, peace lilies, and other auspicious beauties-from the Lucky Plant Sale in the QBG Store.

Lunar New Year is celebrated by many different Asian communities, especially in the neighborhood of Flushing where the Lewis Latimer House Museum is located. This year, the museum will be hosting a Lunar New Year Tinker Festival, in collaboration with the local artist group Chinese Theater Works, experts on the art of Chinese shadow puppetry and traditional Chinese opera. There will be shadow puppet workshops and brief introductions to Chinese opera! Participants can join in for a hands-on experience with making their own shadow puppets, while watching a performance by the artist group. All materials will be provided by the Lewis Latimer House Museum to the participants.

Westchester/Bronx

Ms. Cristina from Joy of Mandarin will lead this program; watch performances and participate virtually in activities to celebrate the Lunar New Year. You will also be notified when a craft kit/goodie bag will be available to pick up at the Chappaqua Library children's room. Registration does not guarantee a craft kit and they will be available first come first serve as long as supplies last.

In celebration of the Lunar New Year, join the children's librarians for a fun interactive storytime that highlights the Asian American experience for Lunar New Year.

If you are looking for a way for your little ones to celebrate this holiday properly? Join the library for stories, songs, and a craft in honor of the Lunar New Year.

This World Read Aloud Day, join the children's librarian for storytime to celebrate Lunar New Year to ring in the Year of the Tiger! Parents and caretakers are highly encouraged to participate and get involved. Storytime helps strengthen early literacy skills, socialization, and bonding between adults and their children.

Celebrate the arrival of the Year of the Tiger with "Monster Hunt," one of China's biggest box office hits ever. Movie snacks (sunflower seeds and coconut water) to be served. NR, 104 minutes.

Long Island

Come out for a reading of "My First Chinese New Year" by Karen Katz. Chinese New Year is a time of new beginnings! Follow a girl as she learns how to welcome the coming year and experiences all the festivities surrounding it. After the story, decorate your own dancing dragon stick puppet as a symbol of good fortune for the year 2022!

Li Liu will share her talents of plate spinning, foot juggling, hand balancing, artistic cycling, ribbon dancing, and Chinese water bowl manipulation! Holiday traditions will be shared along with the language and culture of one of the world's oldest civilizations.

Celebrate the Year of the Tiger with crafts, dancing, and a visit to the museum collection galleries.

Celebrate the Year of the Tiger with crafts, activities, food and a live performance with traditional Chinese music, dance, martial artist and an acrobat.

Rockland/Bergen

Celebrate the Year of the Tiger as the New Jersey Symphony continues a tradition that welcomes all audiences for a festive evening of community and cultural exchange.

Usher in "The Year of the Tiger" and the good fortune it brings. Expect festive performances, shopping deals, and gorgeous decor in honor of the Lunar New Year. These physically-distant performances take place on The Dream Stage in Court A.

The Year of the Tiger begins on February 1st and Liberty Hall is celebrating by making lots of crafts- from dragon puppets to "porcelain" plates- that emulate traditional Chinese craftsmanship and icons.

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Lunar New Year 2022: Ways to Celebrate in and Around NYC

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Many families around NYC are getting ready to celebrate Lunar New Year (Also known as The Chinese New Year) on February 1st. Whether you would rather stay in to celebrate this year or would like to have an excuse to get out of the house, we have made up a list of activities you and your family can take part in to commemorate this holiday!