Chinese New Year Celebrations

In 2010, Chinese New Year falls on February 14th. Chinese celebrations differ from Western Holidays in that they are not solely celebrated on just the one day. Festivities can occur on week-ends before or after that date. This year, the date is even more special because it also happens to fall on Valentine's Day, making it an even more favorable day to celebrate.

2010 is The Year of the Tiger: Tiger Years are third in the cycle of the Chinese Zodiac and recur every twelfth year. The Lion is a sign of courage. People born in the Year of the Tiger are said to be well-liked because of their charming personalities.

Some of the cities celebrating Chinese New Year this year are: San Francisco, Seattle, Los Angeles, New York, Washington D.C. and if you are lucky enough to live in or are visiting the Hawaiian Islands, in particular Oahu, then the place to be for any of the Chinese New Year Festivities is in Chinatown, Honolulu.

During the weeks prior to Chinese New Year (2/1/4/10) there will be fun-filled activities relating to the Chinese culture, parades, dancing and of course lots of food! Here is a list of some of those dates and a brief description of what is going on:

*Saturday, January 30: The Chinese Chamber of Commerce celebrates the Narcissus Festival, Coronation Ball. This is the event where the new Narcissus Queen will be crowned. It is open to the public 5:00 - 10:00 p.m. You can get your tickets by calling (808) 533-3181.

*Friday, February 5 & Saturday, February 6: Chinatown open house located at the Chinatown Cultural Plaza (100 N Beretania St., Honolulu). There will be booths with food; arts and crafts and lots of live entertainment happening. It is free and open to the public: 6:00 - 10:00 p.m. on Friday and 9:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m. on Saturday.

*Saturday, February 6: The "Night in Chinatown" Festival and Parade. The Festival is an all day event: from 9:00 a.m. - 10:30 p.m. Come taste the flavors of the Asian food; browse the arts and crafts booths; enjoy live entertainment (including martial arts performances); rides and games; this party is really fun for all ages. This is a free event.

Starting at around 4:00 p.m. the parade will get started. It is routed from Hotel Street at the State Capitol and proceeds to Maunakea Street. It is open to the public and at no charge. It is abundant with bright festive colors, dancers, bands, Martial Arts clubs and much more. Sure to entertain one and all!

If you want to go out and celebrate the Chinese New Year on the actual day, 2/14/10, then you can still head to Chinatown and hit a number of restaurants for a great dinner. Listed below are three:

*Little Village Noodle House located at 1113 Smith Street. They have a long list of dishes, from spicy to mild. They serve traditional Chinese and some new Chinese specialties. Call for reservations at (808) 545-3008.

*China House Restaurant located at 100 N. Beretania Street in the Chinese Cultural Plaza. It features fresh lobster, crab and fish. Give them a call at (808) 550-8815.

*Legend Seafood Restaurant located at 100 N. Beretania Street next to the Sun-Yat Sen statue in the Chinese Cultural Plaza. It has been said by many to have the best 'dim sum' in all of Chinatown. You can call them at (808) 532-1868.

Chinese New Year to the Chinese is like Christmas to Westerners. In Honolulu, Chinatown, it is a time to celebrate for everyone! Get your family and friends and head to Chinatown in Honolulu for a true cultural experience!

Sources: http://www.springsgreetingcards.com/catalogs/store.asp?pid=250913; http://gochina.about.com/od/chinesenewyear/p/ChineseNYGuide.htm