Malaysian Festivals

Chinese New Year is the celebration of the first day of the Chinese Lunar Calendar and the most important annual festival for the Chinese community. The Lunar year is named after one of the 12 animals according to the Chinese Zodiac.



During the day, debts are settled, prayers and offerings are made. New clothes are bought and plenty of foods are prepared.



Family members from far come back for the gathering. A reunion dinner for the family is held on the eve of the New Year. Bad language and unpleasant topics are discouraged.



There are lion dances and small fire works.



Red paper showing Chinese characters of prosperity and wealth are pasted either in front or inside the house.



Ang-Pow or red packet containing money is given out to children and elderly.



Open house is practiced for visiting relatives and friends with various ethnic races. The New Year is lasted for fifteen days which the concentration is on the first three days.

The celebration ends with the Chap Goh Mei on the fifteenth day.