Lunar New Year arrives on February 12th, 2021 and it’s the year of the Ox! While this year we won’t be having Lunar New Year dinner with family, we are still following some traditions to celebrate the new year in order to bring in prosperity and good health. Here are some traditional ways to celebrate Lunar New Year with your dog.
Clean up
A week before the new year arrives, you’ll catch me doing a deep clean and start to declutter my entire apartment. I’ll wash all the pet bedding and pet eating areas. Decluttering your home is so important because we are getting rid of the things that no longer serve us and making room for good fortune to come into our homes. Make sure you do this the first day of the new year, NOT on New Year’s Day!
Groom your pup and yourself too
Getting groomed is a must! Give your pup a bath to get rid of last year’s bad luck and spirits. With 2020 being a complete mess, you bet I’ll be giving Gatsby a long thorough bath. As for me, I’m heading to the hair salon for a quick trim. Again, don’t do this during Lunar New Year’s Day.
Fill a lai see (also known as hong bao in Mandarin) with treats for your dog
These are small red envelopes that are usually filled with lucky money or for your pup’s case, lucky treats! Given to children, family members, and friends, it’s a symbol of good luck.
Wear something red
A festive dog bandana is perfect for the pup. As for me, wearing a qipao or Cheongsam is a tradition. Last year I opted for a black and red qipao. This year, I picked a long red modern Cheongsam.
Gift a new red ball to your pup to symbolize the chasing of the sun
In Chinese culture, the lion symbolizes wisdom and power. During Lunar New Year, lion dances are performed at Chinese festivals and parades to bring good fortune and chase away evil spirits. In some lion dances, you will see the lion chasing after a red ball which is a symbol of the sun.
