What are the ways to celebrate the lunar new year at the beach?
- Chowing Down on Festive Meals
- Setting Off Firecrackers
- Giving Gifts of Money in Red Envelopes
- Launching of Sky Lanterns
Every year, Filipino-Chinese families would gather and celebrate Chinese New Year with the hopes to attract prosperity, peace, and closer familial ties. If you have been preparing and cleaning your home to rid it of the bad luck of the past year, gather your friends, family, relatives, and have a Chinese New Year celebration at the beach with these simple yet prosperous ways. From having a peaceful dinner gathering to launching sky lanterns, you will surely never run out of Lunar New Year activities to do at the nearest beach.
Chowing Down on Festive Meals
Some beach day tour packages offer complimentary buffet meals. From breakfast, lunch, and dinner, fill your stomach with the sumptuous dishes they serve. Chow down on festive treats after taking a quick dip in the ocean or on an exhausting yet relaxing snorkeling activity. Dinner is the most important meal shared between family members to welcome Chinese New Year’s Eve. This dinner is often called the reunion dinner and is believed to be the greatest meal of the year that brings luck, prosperity, and wealth of health benefits.
Setting Off Firecrackers
In Chinese tradition, setting off firecrackers on the first minute of their new year is a symbol of fending off spirits and bad luck. The tradition of setting firecrackers took its form from the legendary monster Nian. The entity would destroy houses and take villagers on New Year’s Eve. Before the firecrackers were invented, the Chinese villagers would use the bamboo to scare away the monster. Since then, it has been a tradition to set firecrackers during the eve of Chinese New Year. Apart from the tradition, firecrackers have become a major custom to celebrate special occasions. It is a way to enhance the festive atmosphere.
Giving Gifts of Money in Red Envelopes
Bright red packets or envelopes are given to children and unmarried adults during the Chinese New Year. Cash gifts that range from a couple of dollars to a hefty amount depending on the relationship to the recipient. These red envelopes containing money symbolizes good luck, it is a sign of sharing gratitude for receiving blessings and wealth. Make sure to put crips and new bills as a symbol of a new life. Avoid including coins in the envelope as well as an amount that begins in 4 as the number is considered bad luck.
- For the parents and grandparents
Typically, the elderly are given a hefty amount of money to accommodate their needs. They are the ones with limited capacity to work. The amounts range from 500 to 2,000 yuan, which is around 3,000 to 14,000 in Philippine pesos.
- For those without an income
The younger generation who still go to school would normally receive 50 to 200 yuan, or 300 to 1,000 pesos. The money is either placed in savings or used as an allowance.
- For your children
There is no limit as to how much is given to your own offspring. At the end of the day, you are a parent, and the one supporting your children. With that, any amount will do just fine. For your relative’s children, preparing small red envelopes that contain at least 10 to 20 yuan remains an ideal gift.
- For the employees
As a form of gratitude and appreciation for the past year’s hard work, employees are given at least a hundred to a thousand yuan. It is handed to the employees on the last day of work before the Chinese New Year holiday begins.
Launching Sky Lanterns
Launching sky lanterns is part of the Lantern Festival, which marks the first full moon night in the Chinese calendar. If you are visiting the beach at the end of the Lunar New Year, launching sky lanterns remain a symbolic way of praying for a smooth future. Apart from that, it is also a form of expressing your best wishes to your family members. Writing notes on the lantern is a way of sending your prayers and wishes. These notes often request more solidified family ties and greater wealth in the years to come.
Key Takeaway
Chinese New Year celebrations are also known as the Spring Festival. Family and friends come together to dine, share stories, and give envelopes. While celebrating the occasion at a beach is not a custom, the location remains a suitable place to set off firecrackers, launch sky lanterns, and enjoy a peaceful view. At the end of the day, the Chinese New Year entails a reunion of familial ties.
