photo by Jojo Nicdao
Chinese New Year in the Philippines? Yes, actually! Chinese New Year, or the Lunar New Year, has always been celebrated in the Philippines and became an official state holiday in 2012. Filipinos of Chinese heritage make up approximately 5% of the total population, and “Chinatowns” exists in several cities across the Philippines. This holiday and its celebrations can run as long as 15 days, and it’s the most important holiday for Chinese-Filipinos.
photo by Jojo Nicdao
Parades of Dragons and Lions
No celebration of the lunar new year would be complete without a big parade, and dragons and lions have always been a featured part of those festivities. Dancing jubilantly down the road, these creatures twist and twirl, thrilling their audiences. The physical strength and abilities of the dancers are remarkable as they move the heavy costumes down the street with agility and grace. The dancer at the front of the lion costume even operates the eyes and mouth, blinking and roaring as it goes along. If you are unsure which is a dragon and which is a lion, look for the number of legs - lions are manned by two dancers and have four legs, while the dragons are maneuvered by eight or more dancers. The costumes for both are vibrant and elaborate.
photo by Jojo Nicdao
The Color of Happiness, Success, & Good Fortune
Red is a most auspicious color, and you will find plenty of it at every Chinese New Year celebration. People wear red for the new year and give money in red envelopes. Red paper lanterns are hung on homes and in the street. For Chinese-Filipinos, red is a color that represents happiness, success, and good fortune. All of those are things which Chinese-Filipinos want to carry into the new year with them and their family and friends. The good luck of the color red also makes it a favorite color for Chinese-Filipino weddings, often with the bride donning a red gown.
photo by Jojo Nicdao
The Centerpiece of Every Holiday - Food
Chestnuts are considered to be a good omen and popular to eat on Chinese New Year. You will find them roasted as street food and added to other dishes. Fruit is also symbolic on the lunar new year, with pineapples being the most popular in the Philippines. The character for pineapple in Hokkien (the Chinese language spoken by most Chinese-Filipinos) resembles the character for prosperity, and the crown of the pineapple is a symbol of wealth. You will also find pomelos (similar to grapefruit) and other citrus fruits. Tikoy (rice cakes) are another food associated with the lunar new year and easy to find at any market or street vendor. New Year meals with family are a traditional part of the celebration and often include a whole fish, pansit (noodles) and boiled dumplings.
photo by Jojo Nicdao
The Chinese Lunar New Year in 2018 falls on February 16th, and February is a great month to visit the Philippines because the weather is cooler and drier. Manila has one of the largest Chinese New Year celebrations, which makes it the perfect time and opportunity for an adventure with Uncharted Philippines. Discover the magic of the Philippines for yourself.