Chinese New Year

If you’ve already broken your New Year’s resolutions for this year don’t worry – you have a second chance to start all over again at the end of the month when Manchester welcomes in the year of the dog!

Manchester is home to one of the biggest Chinese communities in the UK, with Chinatown being a vibrant and thriving part of the city, and the perfect place to celebrate the Chinese New Year.

New Year’s Eve this year happens on Saturday 28th, and if you fancy celebrating the night in style then head down to Lotus, where the best in eastern and western celebrations will be combined for a truly memorable party. Festivities will include Lion Dancers, champagne, dim sum canapés, soulful singers and midnight fireworks. To get in the party mood throughout January, Lotus is also offering buy one get one free on all drinks (including champagne and cocktails!) every Thursday and Friday between 4pm and 8pm, plus fee dim sum for everyone who buys a drink. Click here for more...

On January 29th, New Year’s Day, Chinatown will come alive with glittering festivities from 12.30pm to 6pm. The Golden dragon parade will leave Albert Square at 12.30 and then wind its way towards Chinatown, where there will be stalls, fairground rides, Kung Fu demonstrations and dragon and lion dances. The official celebrations end at 6pm with a stunning firework display from Faulkner Street car park.

The world famous Yang Sing is holding a Chinese New Year’s luncheon on the 29th, with traditional entertainment courtesy of those Lion Dancers again. Tickets for this event are priced at £25 per person. Click here for more information on Chinese New Year at the Yang Sing,

If you’ve never celebrated Chinese New Year before then here are a few tips to help you to avoid bad luck!

• Avoid housework on New Year's Day: this activity runs the risk of washing or sweeping away good luck. For the same reason, avoid washing your hair on the first and last day of the New Year.
• It is also considered unlucky to use anything sharp on New Year's day - knives, scissors, even nail clippers. The action of the sharp blades risks cutting the threads of good fortune brought in at New Year.
• It is important not to use language which is negative- having an argument on New Year's day is to be avoided at all costs.
• Words related to sickness and death are to be avoided. This even extends to the use of words which sound like the words for death or sickness.
• Finally, care must be taken not to stumble (perhaps keep the drinking to a minimum then!) or to break anything - this would be indicative of bad luck ahead.

So, bearing all that in mind and making every effort not to argue, fall over or do any housework (that one should be easy to stick to), ensure that you make the most of living in a city with such a rich cultural heritage and get down to Chinatown this Chinese New Year. Kung Hei Fat Choi!

Jayne Robinson
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