Luck for the New Year

Chinatown Main Street, an initiative of the City of Boston and the National Trust for Historic Preservation is bringing a small flower market to Chinatown Park on the Greenway this weekend in celebration of the Chinese New Year.

Plum Blossom – Symbolizes Luck (photo credit: Anne Wu)

The Chinese New Year is celebrated on the first day of the First Moon of the lunar calendar. The corresponding date in the solar calendar varies from as early as January 21st to as late as February 19th. This year, the year of the rabbit, falls on February 3, 2011.

Of all the traditional Chinese holidays the New Year is said to be the most important. The New Year is a time to congratulate each other on having passed through another year, a time to finish out the old, and to welcome in the new.

Narcissus – Symbolizes Prosperity (photo credit: Gretchen Flit)

Socially, the New Year is a time for family reunions, and for visiting friends and relatives. The Chinese New Year’s Eve dinner gathering is among the most important family occasions of the year and preparations include the buying of gifts and decorating of the home. Markets are often set up as the New Year is approaching featuring gifts, flowers, toys, clothing, and fireworks. Flowers in particular, are said to bring good luck and are given when visiting family for the traditional New Year’s Eve feast.

Sunflower – Symbolizes hope for a good year (photo credit: Kevin Harber)

Congratulate yourself and your loved ones on having made it through another year and stop by the Hin Sang Flower Market in Chinatown.

What: Hin Sang Flower Market

When: Saturday, January 29 – Wednesday, February 2 from 9AM – 6PM.

Where: Chinatown Park

Source: http://www.c-c-c.org/chineseculture/festival/newyear/newyear.html