Lunar New Year with Kristina Cho
a lunar new year feast
Handmade dumplings are the heart of Kristina Cho’s Lunar New Year celebrations.
The recipe developer and James Beard–award winning cookbook author of
Mooncakes & Milk Bread shares tips and two recipes to anchor your party.
Lunar New Year Decorations Invite Good Luck
Welcome the year of the Dragon with modern Chinese New Year decorations. Also called Lunar New Year, this two-week-long celebration is a time for spring cleaning, family and feasting. To give your Lunar New Year decor a classic feel, stick with a red and gold color palette. Adorn the living room with red botanicals in metallic vases and hang paper lanterns in the windows. Stay on-theme by featuring a dragon figurine or art print, or take a more general approach with banners featuring traditional new year's couplets. Either way, complete the look by swapping out your regular throw pillows and blankets for red pieces so that the space looks extra festive for holiday guests.
Chinese New Year Table Settings
Don't forget about the food—while your favorite dishes simmer in the kitchen, lay the dining table with an eye-catching Chinese New Year table setting. A red tablecloth adds a pop of color to the eating area—just add elegant white dinnerware and an embroidered table runner in a neutral color to balance out the look. Want to give each place setting a playful feel? Consider using red dinner plates instead. Place the dishes on metallic chargers to add dimension to the tablescape, then round out your modern Lunar New Year table setting with gold flatware. When it comes to the centerpiece, you can't go wrong with Chinese New Year table decorations such as a bowl of fruit or a cluster of striking taper candles in geometric holders; or, for a DIY approach, try making your own money tree by stringing your little ones' red money envelopes onto a decorative branch until they are ready to open them. Whether you're celebrating with extended family or a close group of friends, modern Chinese New Year decorations for the holiday's backdrop help get the year off to a festive start. Be sure to explore even more Lunar New Year decorating ideas for 2024 to greet the year of the Dragon.