Reader Feedback

4 Responses to “When Is The Chinese New Year At The Philippines?”

1. crispy pata (chef wannabe) says:

   February 9, 2010 at 10:37 am

   year of the tiger! chinese new year is 02/14/2010. i know day of the hearts too. http://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/phil…
2. Matt Torres :) says:

   February 9, 2010 at 11:14 am

   CHINESE NEW YEAR is on FEBRUARY 14, 2010, which is on the same date as Valentine’s Day.
   There has been a bill filed last year by a congressman that will soon make Chinese New Year as a National Non-Working Holiday – in fact, it is the last Southeast Asian nation to do so.
   The biggest celebrations of CNY is in Metro Manila, especially in Binondo and Santa Cruz districts of the City of Manila; Banawe Avenue of Quezon City; as well as Greenhills district of San Juan. In addition, all SM Malls have some dragon dance and fireworks going on during that day. Other cities in the Philippines which celebrate CNY include Cebu, Iloilo, Vigan, and Davao, although they are celebrated in a much lesser scale than in Metro Manila.
   For Chinese Protestants, they celebrate the previous day (ex. February 13) as “Chinese Christmas Day”.
   Chinese living in the Philippines celebrate CNY celebrate CNY by wearing red shirts and eating in expensive Chinese restaurants or in hotels for lunch. They also give tikoy rice cakes to each other, while the grandparents give “ang pows” (red packets) to their grandchildren. Some traditional Chinese pay respects to their ancestors by going to their ancestral homes back in Fujian, China, while some of the modern and younger Chinese go on vacation to Hong Kong, USA, or Canada to meet with other relatives.
   The greeting used among Philippine Chinese is “Tiong Hi Hoat Chhai”, which is Min Nan Chinese for ‘prosperity be upon you’.
3. Gaoli says:

   February 9, 2010 at 12:32 pm

   the Spring Festival, also known as Chinese New Year, (Traditional Chinese: 春節 | Simplified Chinese: 春节) (Mandarin: chūnjié | Cantonese: chēunjit) will be on Feb. 14 this year. It’s always 2 months after winter solstice (shortest day of the year), because back in the days people used to use the lunar calendar. Basically speaking Northern and Central Luzon (medieval name is (trad.) 呂宋 | simpl. 吕宋) (Mandarin: lǚsòng | Cantonese: léuihsung) as well as Cebu City are good places to witness it because these places used to be chinese. For Luzon I’d propose to especially stay in Binondo, Manila, Banawe Avenue, Quezon City and Greenhills district.
   For some greetings here’s how you say “Happy New Year: (Trad.) 新年快樂 （Simpl.: 新年快乐）（Mandarin: xīnnián kuàilè | Cantonese: sānnìhn faailohk)
   or you can say the more famous KUNG HEY FAT CHOI (Trad.) 恭喜發財 (simpl.: 恭喜发财)（Mandarin: gōngxǐ fācái | Cantonese: gūnghéi faatchòih [commonly written as kung hey fat choi])
   The first literally means, “Happy New Year, whereas the 2nd one actually means, ” I wish you a lot of money”. But it is also used as “Happy New Year.
   Also, if your chinese zodiac sign is Tiger (老虎 or just 虎）, please make sure to continously wear at least one piece of red clothing from Feb. 14 onwards. til the next Spring Festival. It can be everything, even a red sock, or bracelette or even underpants.
4. Choco Crunchies, [Future] CPA says:

   February 9, 2010 at 5:21 pm

   It’s on Valentine’s Day, February 14. Chinatowns around the country celebrate it.