2/11/2010
Many Fastener Companies to Close February 13-21 for Chinese Lunar New Year

Many fastener companies in China and Taiwan will be closed February 13-21, 2010, to celebrate the Chinese New Year 2010 – the year of the Tiger.

The world famous fireworks over Hong Kong’s Victoria Harbor will be at 7 a.m. New York (Eastern U.S.) time on Monday, February 15 – one day after the start of the Lunar New Year.

The Tsim Sha Tsui waterfront fireworks are controlled by computer.

Chinese New Year to China is like Christmas to the West. Beyond the lion dances and fireworks, the Chinese New Year features family time, gift giving and food festivals.

The celebrations originated as thanking the gods for the harvest and entreaty for a good crop next year. The customs were formalized under Han Dynasty (206BC-AD 25).

Many westerners have seen the upside-down ye,fu (pronounced foo) character on doors and windows. The character means fortune or luck.

The “dao” can imply falling down or turning upside-down so by turning the character is a play on words implying fortune has already arrived.

Another tradition is painting the door red with the character in gold hoping for good fortune for the new year.

Sweethearts exchange gifts of red underwear with gold embroidery of that year’s zodiac animal.

For those turning multiples of 12 (12, 24, 36 etc. – the Chinese Zodiac uses a cycle of 12), termed benming nian, the traditional belief is that it can be an unlucky year. Wearing red helps ward off dangers.

Red is considered a lucky color, which also stands for loyalty, success and happiness.

Gift suggestions for your Chinese friends:

• Wrap gifts in a gift box or use red paper or red ribbon and gold trimmings.

• Depending on your friends’ tastes, alcohol, tea, sweets or fruit are popular gifts.

• Food items are more traditional in China than flowers. If you do give flowers seek traditional Chinese decorations such as pussy willows, flowering plum, peach branches or kumquat bushes. This year tiger lilies are appropriate.

• A traditional gift for children is money in “Hong Bao” or red envelope.

The Lantern Festival or Yuanxiao, falls on the final or fifteenth day under the full moon. Families traditionally make paper lanterns.
©2010 GlobalFastenerNews.com