January 22, 2023, marks the beginning of the Lunar New Year, a 15-day celebration that’s considered the most important holiday in many Asian countries and across the Asian diaspora. Based on the lunar calendar, it welcomes the arrival of spring, marking a fresh start and new beginnings.
Each year in the lunar calendar is represented by one of the 12 zodiac animals, all of which represent different characteristics and future. 2023 marks the year of the rabbit (or the year of the cat in the Vietnamese zodiac) which symbolizes grace, beauty, calm, peace, patience and prosperity.
Lunar New Year also comes with a plethora of traditions, including things to do, avoid and eat, that are based on history, symbolism, superstition and myth. From ways to decorate your home, to lucky gifts to exchange with family and friends, we’ve rounded up some of the most popular LNY traditions to attract prosperity in the upcoming year.
While preparing for your LNY celebrations, we recommend using our new digital service, StyList, exclusive to yorkdale.com. With StyList, you can search and shop products from multiple stores at Yorkdale, add items from each store to a single basket and check out with a single transaction. Within 48 hours, your items will be available for in-mall or curbside pickup at no charge, saving you time and multiple shipping fees.
Ready to learn more about the Lunar New Year? Read on for six ways to celebrate and attract luck and prosperity for the year ahead.
Clean Your Home and Decorate with Red
It is customary to clean your house before New Year’s Day in order to sweep away any ill-fortune from the previous year and make way for good luck in the new year. If you do your cleaning on New Year’s Day, it is believed you’ll be sweeping away any incoming luck and prosperity!
To help bring even more good fortune into your home, add red and gold décor. Red is considered a lucky colour and a symbol of prosperity, while gold represents glory, nobility and wealth.
Williams Sonoma
Dyson
Yu Seafood
Yu Seafood
Eat Delicious and Auspicious Foods
Food is a big part of celebrating the Lunar New Year with each country, community, and family indulging in their own Lunar New Year delicacies. Some common LNY foods include dumplings, rice cake soup, and long noodles (a.k.a. “longevity noodles”) which symbolize living a long life. Yu Seafood offers delectable cuisine paying homage to traditional Chinese favourites, while adding a creative contemporary twist, and is a great option for a Lunar New Year dinner.
Book Your Hair Appointment Before the New Year
In Chinese, hair has the same pronunciation as fortune, so it’s important to book any haircuts and to wash your hair before the New Year, otherwise you’ll be washing or cutting your luck away. A pre-LNY wash and cut is believed to allow for growth and luck in the new year, so now’s the perfect time to pick up a new shampoo and conditioner or book your appointment at Donato Salon + Spa, which features the city’s best hair stylists and colour technicians, known throughout Canada and around the world.
Oribe at Holt Renfrew
Oribe at Sephora
Buy Some New Clothes to Ring in the New Year
The LNY is a great time to revamp your wardrobe as it is believed that wearing new clothes from head to toe symbolizes a new start and fresh hopes for the new year. In keeping with the theme, opt for red clothing with gold accents for – you guessed it! – good luck and avoid wearing black or white as these shades are typically associated with death. Also consider supporting Asian-owned or Asian-founded brands, such as Jimmy Choo, Simone Rocha (available at Holt Renfrew and Nordstrom), YanYan Knits (available at Nordstrom), Oak + Fort and UBeauty (available at Holt Renfrew).
There are also plenty of luxury brands offering LNY collections
And finally, with so many retailers offering LNY-themed clothing, the options are endless for choosing your LNY fit.
Image Gallery
Gucci
Gucci
Thom Browne
Thom Browne
Burberry
Burberry
Ferragamo
Ferragamo
Bottega Veneta
Coach
Coach
Fendi
Fendi
MCM
MCM
Dior
Moncler
Moncler
Spend Time and Exchange Gifts with Family and Friends
The most important aspect of celebrating Lunar New Year is spending time with family and friends. During this time, an exchange of gifts often occurs to show appreciation and respect, as well as bringing luck to both the giver and the receiver. Things like liquor, tea, fruits, and candy are popular options, as are jewelry, artwork and flowers.
For an extra luxe gift, be sure to check out Tiffany & Co.’s 6-week LOCK activation in Holt’s court which will feature the Tiffany Lock bangle: a bracelet designed to be worn by all genders that is a bold and visual statement about the personal bonds that make us who we are.
Tiffany & Co.
Sugarfina at Nordstrom
Don’t Forget the Lucky Red Envelope!
And of course, Lunar New Year wouldn’t be complete without “lucky money” in red envelopes known as Hónɡ bāo in China, Li xi in Vietnam and Sae bae don in Korea. These envelopes are typically given out by elders and married couples to children and single people of the younger generation. This year, consider gifting one of our gift cards in your red envelope so your loved ones can shop their favourite stores at Yorkdale. Or try sending an e-gift card with a personalized video message wishing your loved one luck and prosperity for the year ahead.
Plus, don’t forget to take advantage of our Lunar New Year gift card promotion.
From January 14th to January 29th, purchase gift cards and receive a bonus gift card.
Get a $10 bonus with $200-499, a $25 bonus with $500-999 & a $50 bonus with $1,000-$3,000.
GIFT NOW
We hope the Year of the Rabbit and the Vietnamese Year of the Cat comes with lots of good fortune and luck! Happy Lunar New Year!
