Lina’s Tradition: Celebrating Chinese New Year in Taiwan

A New Year Filled With Tradition

For Lina, Chinese New Year in Taiwan is a season rich with rituals that begin long before the celebrations themselves. Families prepare by putting up bright Spring Festival couplets, cleaning the house, and shopping for New Year treats in bustling markets. On New Year’s Eve, everyone gathers for a festive reunion dinner, exchanging red envelopes and staying up late to welcome the year ahead. The days that follow each carry their own meaning - from visiting relatives or temple hopping for blessings, to married daughters returning home to see their parents. These customs mark the rhythm of the holiday, connecting generations through shared tradition.

Lanterns, Blessings, and a Season of Family

Throughout the holiday, Taiwanese families honour local gods, welcome the God of Wealth with offerings, and reunite with loved ones across several days of celebration. The season ends on the Lantern Festival, when streets glow with lantern displays, children carry colourful lights, and families enjoy sweet sticky rice ball soup for good fortune. For Lina, these moments - the temples, the family gatherings, the rituals repeated year after year — are what make Chinese New Year a deeply meaningful celebration of connection, culture, and renewal.