25 Thoughtful Gift Ideas for Chinese New Year

The most important holiday festival in the Far East, Chinese New Year, or the Lunar New Year, is celebrated enthusiastically across Asian American communities throughout the US and Canada. Lots of red decorations & red lanterns, dragons, and Chinese characters decorate homes, businesses, temples, and institutions the world over. Family, friends, business associates, teachers and students exchange congratulations for success in the year past, good wishes for the coming year, as well as red envelopes with money to encourage prosperity, and thoughtful gifts to express affection.

Fine Jewelry Boxes for Her

The second new moon after the winter solstice (Dec. 21st, 2010) is the first day of the festival, often falling within a week of the western holiday of Valentine’s day. Among the younger generation of American born Asian families, sometimes gifts of fine oriental jewelry boxes are given to ladies. Browse our selection of elegant oriental jewelry boxes, both lovely lacquered designs with birds and flowers, and elegant fine Chinese Rosewood designs with auspicious oriental Shou symbols.

Jade Carvings for Him, or Happy Buddha Statues

The Jade Emperor is the name given the unnamed deity in ancient Taoist tradition, and Jade horses, Jade dragons, Jade tigers, and Jade elephants; Jade carvings of animals of power and intelligence make distinctive, unique gifts for the man of the house, as well as for friends, relatives, and corporate gifts. Also, we offer an unmatched collection of Budai & Hotei statues, the jolly Happy Buddha, with his never empty sack of plenty, symbolic of prosperity in the coming year, great gifts for dads, bosses, brothers or teachers, and between families.

Beautiful Decorative Lanterns

Hanging paper lanterns cast a soft, warm, celebratory glow on family festivities; we offer both red paper lanterns for parties, as well as a unique selection of beautiful electric hanging oriental style ceiling lights, crafted in the style of Chinese & Japanese wood & paper lanterns.

Auspicious Chinese Plaques, Characters, & Symbols

Traditionally, wall plaques, with elegant Chinese characters or Japanese Kanji, wishing wealth, prosperity, luck, long life, and for the romantic, “double happiness”, are hung on walls or in doorways of homes, institutions, & businesses to encourage good fortune and felicity in the coming year. But by far, the classic labyrinth shape “Shou” is the most revered symbol of all, bring longevity, health, fortune, and happiness, to people, places, and endeavors for the coming year.

Festive Fans, Scrolls, & Screens

Hand painted wall fans, hand painted wall scrolls, & hand painted wall screens, with richly symbolic gold fish & koi, birds & flowers, cherry & plum blossoms, peacocks & peonies, pine & crane, as well as dragons, horses, & tigers, are classic home décor gifts for Chinese New Year as well as wedding anniversaries, birthdays, housewarmings, graduations, and new enterprises; any new beginning. Browse our outstanding selection of hand crafted, hand painted traditional oriental brush art, prints as well as ink & watercolors, to find beautiful, colorful gifts for everyone on your list.

Fine Chinese Porcelain Fruit Bowls & Flower Vases

Part of the theme is the coming of spring, just around the corner by the time the Chinese New Year festival is coming to an end. Fruit and fresh flowers are popular decorations, and gifts of fine quality, Chinese porcelain, including fruit bowls, fishbowls, fine flower vases, and spice jars are a favorite with the lady of the house.

New Furniture for the New Year

Out with the old, in with the new is an important part of the celebration, and a new oriental shoe cabinet, oriental apothecary chest, Japanese scholars desk or Chinese writing desk may also be part of the process of renewal in the home or business. Such furnishings provide both a stunning Asian decorative accent, as well as practical, useful functions, adding new beauty and charm, as well as storage and convenience to your home at the start of the New Year, the Year of the Rabbit!