Even if you don’t believe in astrology or know that the New Year according to the Chinese calendar starts only in February, a little magic and rituals for good luck won’t hurt.
The Green Wooden Dragon is a special "master" of the coming year. Unlike the modest rabbit or snake, it is a mythical, powerful, and majestic creature. How can we please such an important guest?
What to Wear
At first glance, the choice may seem obvious, but it is not: green is not considered the most auspicious color for celebration. Perhaps this is to ensure that the Dragon stands out among the guests and remains unique in its splendor.
Others should pay attention to red and gold shades, as well as expensive fabrics: velvet, chiffon, satin, and silk. To add even more luxury, bright gold jewelry for women and cufflinks for men can be used. Only the Christmas tree should compete with you in terms of festivity!
If you prefer something more subdued, silver, gray, and white colors will do. Shine and brightness can be achieved through accessories, makeup, and manicure. By the way, regarding manicure: you can create a design in a "snake" or "crocodile" style on your nails.
What should you avoid wearing? Stay away from green and blue shades: it’s better not to compete with the Dragon.
How to Decorate Your Home
It is unlikely that you will be able to do a designer renovation before the Dragon arrives, but you can show hospitality without it. The first rule is more luxury: silver and gold compositions (using special spray, tinsel, and garlands, you can create them from anything).
The second rule is more wood in the interior, from fir branches and cones to wooden dishes and figurines. The third rule is more red: candles, both real and LED, berries, napkins, and Chinese lanterns will work. We wrote about these and other trends in New Year’s decor in this article.
Wooden accessories are welcome in New Year’s decorations: toys, dishes, figurines, etc.
And, of course, don’t forget about figurines, toys, and dishes featuring dragons: unlike the Christmas tree, they can remain in plain sight all year round, bringing good luck.
If you want to emphasize the Chinese style, add posters with wishes and garlands made of flowers, both paper and natural.
How should you not decorate your home? It’s better to forget about monochrome, minimalist balls and dull colors.
What to Gift Loved Ones
The Dragon loves to impress and believes that everyone should do the same. If you cannot afford to gift your loved ones a villa, a red sports car, a trip to China, or a collection of diamonds, try to surprise them with originality. For example, gift a certificate for a wine tasting, a rare book, or a ticket to the opera. No socks or shower gels, unless it’s a dragon figurine — that he graciously allows.
If you are not sure that the recipient will appreciate originality, you can take the simple route and present a red envelope with money, known as a hongbao. Such envelopes are a traditional New Year’s gift in China. Hongbao are given to children, elderly parents, and friends. Perhaps if you replace the money with a gift certificate and include a couple of coins, the Dragon won’t mind.
What should you not gift? Besides banal gifts, unsuitable gifts would be those related to fire (lamps, fireworks); anything related to illness (medical devices, vitamins) and the past (photographs, antiques), as the Dragon prefers to look confidently into the future.
What to Prepare
Splendor and generosity are the Dragon's creed, including in cooking (after all, it’s not him who cooks). The more dishes on the table, the more favor the Dragon will show.
It’s good if among them there are traditional Chinese dishes. First and foremost, Chinese dumplings: wonton, baozi, and jiaozi. The fillings can be diverse: vegetables, shrimp, pork, and chicken.
Traditionally, a coin was placed in festive dumplings to ensure that the year for the person who finds it would be generous and successful. It cannot be called a safe tradition for teeth and health, so the coin is sometimes replaced with a clove of garlic or a peppercorn, and guests are warned about the surprise. The main dish on the table could be chicken or duck prepared in an eastern style.
Don’t forget about rice noodles and rice: fried with eggs, mushrooms, and chicken. And, of course, traditional desserts should be on the table: fried milk, caramel fruits, bean pastries, and the famous fortune cookies.
What should you not prepare? The Dragon loves attention, and exclusively to itself, so nothing on the table should remind of the symbol of the outgoing year — the Rabbit: no carrots, rabbit meat, or bunny dishes.
How to Celebrate
Ideally — noisily, brightly, and beautifully: with dancing, singing, and fireworks. It is important to launch the latter according to all rules, so as not to attract the attention of not only the Dragon but also the law enforcement. You can gather the whole family or invite friends: both options are close to the Dragon.
