Oriental Symbols And New Year Decorations

By John Chan

Find out how the Chinese people adorn their homes and streets with specially crafted Chinese New Year decorations.

In the lunar calendar, the Chinese New Year plays a vital role and you wouldn't be surprised to see Chinese families decorating their dwellings with various Chinese New Year crafts prepared for this particular festival. From inside the houses to outsides on the city streets, China shines in color throughout the season.

From beautiful blossoms to platters of food there is a wide variety of Chinese New Year decoration items that are reserved for the occasion. There are certain decoration items that have become symbols for this time of the year. The array of decoration items is wide and colorful.

Plants and flowers play a significant role in the New Year decorations in China. Besides Chinese people are famous for their attachment to the nature. During the New Years event, houses of Chinese people are seen blooming with different flowers and plants that symbolize growth and prosperity that promise to come in the coming year.

Plum blossoms are generally used natural blossoms for the decorations around this time because it is during this New Year time that they starts blooming. They are bound together with bamboo and pine springs. This unique combination signifies the aggregation of friends and family during season of the year.

dependability and perseverance are amongst the symbolic values the plum blossoms are supposed to represent. The bamboo represents compatibility due to its flexible nature and the evergreen pine is the classic symbol of longevity. Other commonly used flowers include the azalea, narcissus, water lily and the peony.

Fruits too have a role in New Year decoration and are usually found in Chinese households during the season. Oranges and tangerines are taken to be most popular and are often brought by friends who come over for a visit. Tangerines symbolize maintenance of a long relationship and happiness.

Candy trays are perhaps the best gifts during the Chinese New Year season and as far as kids are involved, they wouldn't disagree! These candy trays with a large amount of candies are a specially designed item for the New Year. They are known as trays of togetherness and a large number of interesting varieties of most yummy candies are kept on them.

This candy tray also has another ritual following it up where an adult takes a candy and replaces it by keeping a red envelope in the tray that consists of some kind of good luck symbol for the peopleoffering it. Generally the candy tray consists of candied melon of different variety like lychee nut, peanuts, coconut, and cumquat etc. all of which have special meanings.

The New Year decoration items are mostly focused on the particular animal sign that represents that particular year. This Chinese tradition is prevalent for ages now and is still followed. - 30411

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