When asked about what they like about living in China (we’ve also lived in Taiwan before) my kids sometimes respond: “We get to celebrate TWO New Years!” What they don’t say is that they get TWO New Year’s holidays off from school!

Living in Hong Kong, we foreigners indeed have the benefit of two New Year holidays.  The Western New Year is welcomed with great fanfare including an expensive fireworks display, while the Lunar New Year is celebrated along age-old Chinese traditions that also includes fireworks, New Year’s Parades and displays.  Taiwan does not celebrate the (Western) New Year, while Chinese New Year, also called Lunar New Year, sees the island enjoying a 7-day break.  The Mainland normally also have a holiday of about 7 days over the Lunar New Year.

This year, Lunar New Year falls on the same day as (the Western) Valentine’s Day… February 14, 2010.

Stay close to Howzit-HongKong.com for more features on the Chinese Lunar New Year.  In the meantime, if you’re not familiar with the New Year’s greeting in Cantonese, start learning the follow phrase:

San nin faai lok!

(Generally: Happy New Year! More specifically: Congratulations and be prosperous!)