Gish/Cultural Templates/Lunar New Year
Cultural template · Lunar New Year · Bonus

A Lunar New Year, reunion-first.

From the reunion dinner on New Year's Eve through the fifteenth-day lantern festival — the template carries the full arc, with the rituals, dishes, and gifting that anchor each day.

Lunar New Year is celebrated as Chinese New Year / Spring Festival (春节), Vietnamese Tết, Korean Seollal, Tibetan Losar, and others — each with distinct dishes, ceremonies, and meanings. The template defaults to Chinese practice and toggles for Tết and Seollal.

01 · The festival at a glance

Fifteen days, one homecoming.

The classical fifteen-day Spring Festival arc — most families today center the reunion dinner and the first few days, but the template carries the whole period.

CNY · Tết · Seollal · Losar variations supported
01
Week before
House cleaning & décor
Sweep out the old year. Hang red couplets (fai chun), upside-down 福 (fu), lanterns, and orange/tangerine displays. Cleaning must finish before New Year's Day — sweeping then would sweep away luck.
02
NYE
Reunion dinner (年夜饭)
The most important meal of the year. Multi-generation family gathers — fish for surplus, dumplings for wealth, glutinous rice cake (nian gao) for rising fortune, longevity noodles uncut.
03
NYE midnight
Stay-up & fireworks
Shou sui — staying up late to extend parents' lives. Fireworks at midnight (where permitted) to scare away the Nian beast.
04
Day 1
New Year's Day visits
Wearing new clothes, often red. Visit elders first. Greetings of 新年快乐 / 恭喜发财. Married adults give hongbao to children and unmarried young adults.
05
Day 2
Visit the in-laws
Traditionally, married daughters return to their parents' home with husband — often the busiest visit day.
06
Day 5
God of Wealth day
Welcoming the God of Wealth (财神). Businesses often reopen this day. Dumplings shaped like ingots.
07
Day 7
Renri (人日)
"Everyone's birthday" — adds a year to everyone. Yusheng (raw fish salad) tossed for prosperity in Cantonese and Southeast Asian Chinese communities.
08
Day 15
Lantern Festival (元宵节)
Closes the festival. Lanterns, tangyuan (sweet rice balls), riddles. Lion and dragon dances peak across the festival.
02 · Suggested microsite structure

Microsite defaults.

Pages

  • Home / countdownNYE date, countdown to reunion dinner.
  • Reunion dinnerMenu, seating, who's coming, dish meanings.
  • Family visitsSchedule of who's hosting which day.
  • Hongbao / lì xìEtiquette guide for first-timers and in-laws.
  • Zodiac yearWhat the year of the dragon/snake/etc. means.
  • TravelFor diaspora families — flights and meet-up points.
  • RSVPPer-day for hosted dinners.
  • Cultural glossaryFor non-Chinese partners, friends, in-laws.

Defaults & toggles

  • TraditionChinese / Vietnamese (Tết) / Korean (Seollal) / Tibetan (Losar) — sets dish defaults and greetings.
  • BilingualEnglish + Chinese (Simplified or Traditional) / Vietnamese / Korean / Tibetan.
  • Zodiac displayAnimal of the year with intro.
  • Color paletteDefault red & gold.
  • Reunion seatingRound-table tool with elders at honored seats.
  • Low-noise fireworks toggleFor homes with pets, elderly, neighbors.
03 · Paper goods that fit

Red, gold, couplets.

StationeryReunion dinner invitationBilingual DécorFai chun couplets (春联)Door-frame pair DécorCustom 福 (fu) squaresFor the door FavorsCustom hongbao / lì xì envelopesFamily monogram, zodiac TabletopReunion dinner menu cardsDish meanings TabletopRound-table seating chartHonored seats marked FavorsTangerine basket tagsFor visiting gifts FavorsLantern Festival cardsDay 15 keepsake DécorZodiac welcome posterThis year's animal DrinkwareTea-set keepsakeReunion takeaway
04 · Roles & honorees

Elders first, always.

Family

  • Grandparents / oldest generationHonored at reunion dinner — best seat, served first.
  • Parents & married adultsGive hongbao to children and unmarried young adults.
  • ChildrenWear new red clothes, give greetings to elders, receive hongbao.
  • Returning familyFor diaspora families — the one who travelled far is welcomed first.

Community

  • Lion / dragon dance troupePerforms at homes and businesses for blessing and prosperity.
  • Local templeFirst incense of the year — many families visit on Day 1.
  • NeighborsExchange tangerines, oranges, sweets through the festival.
05 · Gifting traditions

Hongbao, citrus, sweets — in the right form.

What people give

  • Hongbao / lì xìRed envelopes with crisp new bills. Even amounts (doubled luck), avoid 4. 8s are auspicious. Married give to children and unmarried young adults.
  • Pairs of tangerines / mandarinsBrought to every home visited. Hosts return two — never keeping all the luck.
  • Sweets & nian gaoBoxed sweets, glutinous rice cake — gifted between families.
  • Liquor & teaFor elders — a nice tea tin or liquor bottle.

What hosts give

  • Hongbao back to children visitingReturn blessing.
  • Sweets-tray takeawayThe eight-treasure tray (candied lotus, melon seeds, dried fruit) — guests take a piece.
  • Tangerines returnedThe pair-exchange custom.
06 · Sample template preview

Microsite home page.

春节 · Year of the Dragon
新年快乐 — come home for reunion

The Chan Family

28 · Jan · 2028 · NYE Reunion · Vancouver
NYE
Reunion dinner · Fireworks
Days 1–2
Family visits · Hongbao
Day 15
Lantern Festival
Reunion menuFamily visitsHongbao guideGlossaryRSVP

Start an Occasion from this template

Pre-loaded Lunar New Year structure. Pick tradition (CNY / Tết / Seollal / Losar), reunion-dinner host, and zodiac display in the next step.

Use this template All cultural templates