More than 2 billion people, or about ¼ of the world’s population, celebrate or acknowledge Lunar New Year, making it one of the largest holidays that is celebrated globally.
Often used synonymously, in the right context Chinese New Year and Lunar New Year can refer to the same thing. However, because Lunar New Year encompasses more cultures than just Chinese, Lunar New Year has a broader context when talking about the holiday.
Lunar New Year Rectangle Lantern Project
Lunar New Year Hexagon Paper Lantern
As with all holidays, there are always the well-prepared who will decorate early, but many people also opt to spend a couple days right before cleaning and decorating with red lanterns, paper cuttings, door signs, and more. These decorations are thought to keep evil spirits away, and help pray for blessing, longevity, health, peace, and, of course, wealth.
Lunar New Year Hanging Lantern
In Asian cultures, red symbolizes fire, good fortune, and joy. It is the color of happiness, used strictly for celebrations. Gold symbolizes wealth and prosperity. The two colors together are used to spread the message of good fortune and prosperity for everyone in the coming new year.
Lunar New Year Image Sets
There are some beautiful image sets for Lunar New Year available in Design Space:
Lunar New Year – Lanterns & Fans
Chinese New Year Illustrations
A quick lesson on the words in the decorations:
福 : “Fortune” or “Good Luck”
When it is placed upside down, the symbolism suggests that luck is being poured onto the individual. The character is usually written on a diamond-shaped piece of red paper, then placed at the entrances of homes and businesses.
春: Spring (Lunar New Year is the Spring festival, which is why it’s called out)
新年快樂: Happy New Year
心想事成 — May all your wishes come true!
身体健康 — Wishing you good health!
年年有余 — Surplus year-after-year!
恭喜发财 — Happiness and prosperity!
The Chinese zodiac is an important part of the New Year, and 2022 is the Year of the Tiger. Recent and upcoming years of the Tiger are 1926, 1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010, and 2022. Many Chinese children wear hats or shoes with a tiger image on for good luck.
Tiger Images In Design Space
Some popular Tiger images that we recently added to Design Space include:
Lunar New Year – Year of the Tiger
Lunar New Year – Modern Geometric Tigers
We have the full zodiac offering, so don’t think we forgot about the other years!
Lunar New Year – Zodiac Animal Frames
Traditional Chinese Zodiac Animals
Chinese New Year Zodiac Animal Graphic Icons
As with all cultural holidays, there are so many meanings behind a lot of decorations
Fish – Symbol of abundance and plenty.
Mandarin orange – Orange is associated with gold and wealth. Mandarin oranges and tangerines are popular gifts.
Lantern – The Lunar New Year ends with the Lantern Festival, celebrated with many bright lanterns glowing in the night sky.
Firecrackers – Scare away evil spirits.
Lion – Look for lion dances, in parades and community fairs, the lion chases off evil and brings good fortune.
Dragon – Symbol of strength, power, protection, and kindness, brings good fortune to all. Each year, San Francisco Lantern Festival Parade ends with the golden dragon, carried by more than 100 men and women!
Lunar New Year – Lion & Dragon Dance Images
Chinese New Year Dragon & Lion Dance Designs
Chinese New Year – Lanterns & Fans
However you choose to celebrate, we hope you have fun preparing and crafting for the upcoming year and we wish you a healthy and prosperous year of the Tiger.
