If your New Year’s Eve was a bust, don’t worry, because on January 29, 2025, it’s Lunar New Year! Give yourself the chance to begin the year (again) with a fresh start with a little help from Farm Boy. From tasty traditional foods to décor to cherished celebrations, we have a variety of suggestions to help you ring in the Year of the Snake!
Lunar New Year is a 15-day celebration, which gives you plenty of time to decide when to host your own party. Read on to discover some of the essential elements and don’t forget to visit our flyer for delicious deals found in-store!
What is Lunar New Year?
Lunar New Year—also known as Chinese New Year or Spring Festival—is a 15-day celebration that marks the end of winter and the beginning of spring. It’s an incredibly important holiday in Chinese culture, and one that has evolved to including honouring household deities as well as ancestors and family. Like many holidays, it’s a chance for families to come together and celebrate with one another.
While New Year’s Day for many cultures begins on January 1, Lunar New Year changes, as it marks the first day of the Chinese lunisolar month. In 2025, the first day of Lunar New Year is January 29. This year, it is the Year of the Snake. The Snake is the sixth animal in the Chinese zodiac, and a symbol of wisdom, transformation, and creativity. While “snake” may sound negative to some, it’s actually an incredibly auspicious animal in Chinese culture. The Snake symbolizes good fortune as well as new beginnings.
Below are steps to host your own Lunar New Year party full of delicious ideas, easy décor, and fun traditions. Visit your local Farm Boy for everything you need for an unforgettable Lunar New Year celebration!

Step 1: Tidy Up
Consider this celebration an advance notice to begin your spring cleaning. Plus, if you’re hosting a party, chances are you planned on tidying up, anyway. In Chinese culture, cleaning takes place before Lunar New Year, to symbolically sweep away anything negative from the past year and welcome in good luck. Think of it as banishing the bad vibes before getting the good times rolling.
Like any good host, all cleaning should be done before any guests arrive and before the start to the New Year. In Chinese culture, this is also so that the forthcoming good luck isn’t swept away with last year’s bad fortune. Ask your guests to remove their shoes at the door, as is customary in Chinese culture.
Step 2: Decorate
Red and gold are the traditional colours associated with Lunar New Year. Red is considered a colour of joy, as well as virtue, truth, and sincerity. Gold represents good luck, wealth, prosperity, and good fortune. All the things you want when starting a new year! Choose place settings, napkins, candles, and décor with these colours in mind to set the mood for Lunar New Year. You can also decorate with fresh, vibrant produce in these colours for a delicious, budget-friendly option. At Farm Boy, all our produce is delivered fresh from the markets for the best flavour and longest life. Spread that prosperity around by accenting your décor with items like fresh tangerines or kumquats.

Lanterns
Traditional paper lanterns are an easy and beautiful way to decorate when hosting a Lunar New Year party. These lanterns are red and oval-shaped. Commonly used on the fifteenth and final day of the celebrations during the Lantern Festival, you can hang them up whenever you’re throwing your shindig.

Flowers
Fresh flowers are a must when decorating for Lunar New Year. If you have the space, small bud vases filled with different blooms would be a gorgeous addition to your décor. Some traditional florals for this celebration are: plum blossoms for luck; narcissus for prosperity; marigolds for longevity; and orchids for fertility and abundance. Visit our Floral Department to create your own bouquet or pick up one we’ve crafted for you!

Dragons
No matter what year it is, dragons are always welcome during Chinese New Year. Symbolizing strength, goodness, and good luck, dragons are also believed to banish bad luck and evil forces. String up a dragon-shaped banner or garland along a ceiling or wall to help ensure a year that begins on the right foot. (Or claw.)
Step 3: Create a Lunar New Year-Style Food Spread
What’s a party without food? The 15-day celebration of Lunar New Year means a feast that lasts just as long, with different foods reserved for different days. For example, dumplings, or jiaozi, are typically enjoyed on the fifth day. However, many people choose to enjoy all sorts of foods throughout the festivities. That means you don’t have to wait for a particular day to dig into your favourites.
Lunar New Year Mains

Whole Fish
In Chinese, the word “fish” is a homonym for “abundance”. During Chinese New Year, whole fish will be displayed or enjoyed. The wholeness of the fish is very important, as it symbolizes a positive beginning for the new year and an end to the previous year. Traditionally, fish like carp or catfish are served, but any whole fish will do! Certain Farm Boy locations may carry whole fish like rainbow trout and Arctic char, but ask a Team Member if you’re looking for something specific.

Chicken Lo Mein
Whipping up a big batch of chicken lo mein is a great way to ring in the new year. This recipe is also so versatile and simple that it can be used any day of the week when you’re craving something hearty, flavourful, and delicious. Consider this dish to be an easy version of longevity noodles. Known as yi mein, longevity noodles are popular during Lunar New Year. Meant to symbolize long life (hence the name), these uncut noodles are also thought to bring about good luck and prosperity. In addition to Chinese New Year, this dish is often enjoyed at birthdays and anniversaries.

Peking Duck
Symbolizing abundance and prosperity, Peking duck is a famous dish in Chinese culture that isn’t enjoyed only for Lunar New Year. It can take some time to prepare, but most of that is hands off as the duck marinates in a delicious sauce that gives it its classic crispy skin. In our Butcher Shop, you’ll find fresh duck ready for you to flex your culinary muscles. Don’t forget to flavour this traditional dish with items like Farm Boy™ Pure Ontario Honey and Farm Boy™ Chinese Five Spice Seasoning Mix, plus hoisin and soy sauces.
Lunar New Year Sides

Buddha’s Delight
An easy vegetarian side dish, Buddha’s Delight (also known as lo han jai), is often consumed on the first day of Lunar New Year. A stir-fried dish made with a variety of vegetables, it includes items like baby corn, snow peas, mushrooms, and cabbage. It also often uses bean curd sticks or fried tofu. (We like our Organic Extra Firm Tofu for stir-fry recipes.) This dish is also made with cellophane noodles, also known as glass noodles, which are, appropriately, transparent and made from starch. Crispy, tender, spicy, and savoury, it’s clear why this dish has become so popular in Chinese culture.

Spring Rolls
Aptly named for an occasion that celebrates the beginning of spring, spring rolls are a crowd-pleasing app or side. Due to their resemblance to gold bars, spring rolls enjoyed during Lunar New Year are a symbol of good fortune. These tasty fried bites can be stuffed with anything. If you don’t feel up to making and wrapping your own, pick up some of ours from our Chef’s Market! Farm Boy™ Spring Rolls are filled with potatoes, onions, carrots, cabbage, sweet potato, taro, and rice noodles for a delicious, crunchy bite.

Dumplings
A staple of Chinese culture as well as representative of wealth, dumplings are a must-have in your Lunar New Year spread. You can try making dumplings yourself or, if you haven’t got the time or the expertise, pick some up from us! Farm Boy™ Dumplings are made in Ontario with tender dough and flavourful fillings. With 25-30 dumplings in every bag, there’s plenty to feed a crowd! Try them in Beef, Chicken, Kimchi, or Pork.
Lunar New Year Desserts

Almond Cookies
Light, buttery, and crispy, almond cookies are a popular treat at Lunar New Year feasts. The circular shape of the cookie is meant to resemble a coin, symbolizing good fortune for whoever is eating them. Traditionally topped with an almond in the centre of the cookie, their beautifully nutty flavour comes from almond flavour, like our Farm Boy™ Almond Flour, made with 100% ground almonds and nothing else. If baking isn’t your forte, perhaps consider picking up some of our Almond Crispy Cookies, instead!

Fresh Citrus
Citrus fruits are a major part of the food celebrations for Lunar New Year. The Chinese word for tangerine sounds a lot like “luck”, while the word for orange sounds like “wealth”. The symbolism conveyed by these fruits means that they’re a mainstay at any festive table. Visit any Farm Boy location to stock up on the freshest citrus fruits for Lunar New Year. Pick up sweet, tangy, and bright varieties like tangerines, oranges, and the very important mandarins and pomelos.

Eight Treasure Rice Pudding
Eight is a very lucky number in Chinese culture, as it symbolizes wealth and prosperity. Who wouldn’t want more of that going into the new year? Eight treasure rice pudding gets its name from the eight different kinds of dried fruit in it. The look of eight treasure rice pudding can be as elaborate as you’d like. The idea behind the appearance is for the fruits to resemble gems, so feel free to get creative! At Farm Boy, you can find a variety of dried fruits available, including Organic Medjool Dates, Organic Sweetened Cranberries, and Organic Sultana Raisins.
Step 4: Exchange Red Envelopes
Usually reserved for the kiddos, exchanging red envelopes at Lunar New Year symbolizes good fortune. In accordance with Chinese superstition, the amounts given often begin with even numbers like 8 (which is a homophone for “wealth”) or 6 (a homophone for “smooth”). The exception to this is the number 4, which is considered unlucky in Chinese culture.
If you don’t have red envelopes to give—or the bank account to finance it—you can give your party guests red goodie bags. Fill them with tasty treats like candy, chocolate, or cookies. Chocolate coins would also be a nice nod to the tradition (and a whole lot easier on your wallet). It’s the thought that counts when you’re wishing your partygoers a sweet new year!

Step 5: Discover More Lunar New Year Celebrations
In addition to creating your own Chinese New Year celebration, feel free to explore what’s happening in your community! For those celebrating Lunar New Year in Toronto and the Greater Toronto Area, check out this list of events happening to ring in the Year of the Snake. For those in the Ottawa area, a parade will take place on February 2 in the city’s own Chinatown, filled with performances, blessings, and more!