6 business traditions for Chinese New Year

The Chinese New Year is a time of celebration and tradition. According to Chinese belief, the first day of the new year is when everything is born anew, so it’s the perfect time to make a fresh start.

For businesses, it is also a time to reflect on the past year and set goals for the coming one. It’s also seen as a way to start the year right and maximize your luck.

Here are six business traditions you can do to welcome more luck to your business in the coming year. 

Prepare for downtime

The Chinese New Year is a time for family, friends and festivities.

This means that many businesses will be closed for 2 – 15 days.

If you have customers or clients in China, be prepared for reduced activity during this period. The good news is that there are a few things you can do to prepare for the slowdown.

First, make sure you have enough staff on hand to cover for absences. Second, stock up on supplies so you don’t have to rely on Chinese suppliers during the holidays. Finally, create a communication plan so your customers and clients know what to expect in terms of response times and availability.

By taking a few simple steps, you can make sure that your business runs smoothly during the Chinese New Year.

You might be interested in: What is Chinese New Year and how will it affect your business?

Selecting an auspicious day to start work

For businesses, the start of a new year is an important time to ensure that they are putting their best foot forward. Part of this includes selecting an auspicious day and sometimes even the hours to start work.

It’s tradition to consult with an astrologer or Fengshui master.

Feng shui is the Chinese belief that the placement of objects can influence luck.

For example, it is considered good luck to start work on a day when the energy is right.

This means choosing a day when the stars are aligned in a certain way. Of course, this can be difficult to determine, which is why many businesses rely on feng shui experts to help them choose the right day.

However, if you’re not able to do that, there are other ways to choose an auspicious day.

You can check online for a generic outlook, or you can look at the Chinese zodiac to see which days are considered lucky for your specific animal sign. Whichever method you choose, make sure you pick a date that will help set your business up for success!

Lion Dance

This year, start the festivities off with a bang by inviting a lion dance performance to your office.

Not only will it bring some much-needed excitement to the workplace, but it will also scare away any bad luck that might be lurking around.

After all, what better way to start the year off than with a little help from the king of the jungle?

Just be sure to have some cash on hand to feed the lions – it’s good luck, and they deserve it for putting on such a great show!

So if you’re looking to add a little extra good luck to your business this year, why not invite a lion dance team to your office?

Red packets

Also known as hongbao, these little packets of money are given out as a symbol of good luck, and they play an important role in many aspects of Chinese culture.

Businesses usually give two types of red packets.

End of work red packet: This is given on the day of the reunion dinner. It is seen as a way for employers to say thank you to their employees for their hard work over the past year.

Start of work red packet: This is given when the company reopens during the festive season.  It is seen as a way to welcome good luck for the coming year.

If you have clients or customers in China, consider giving them red packets as a gesture of goodwill. It’s a great way to show your appreciation and build relationships.

Reunion Lunch & Lou Hei

Just like having a reunion dinner and feasting for Chinese New Year, it is also the same for businesses. It is common for companies to arrange a reunion lunch for their employees to welcome the new year.

You can also invite your partners or clients out for festive feasting as well. It’s a good way to build relationships and show your appreciation for their business. After all, what’s better than bonding over a delicious meal?

But before you dive into the menu, there’s one important tradition you need to take care of: the lou hei.

Also known as the Yusheng, this dish is traditionally eaten during Chinese New Year to signify good luck and prosperity. But it’s also perfect for celebrating a successful year at work!

To get started, you’ll need some shredded vegetables, including carrots, radishes, and cucumbers. You’ll also need some pickled ginger, green onion, sesame oil, and of course, a jar of plum sauce.

Once you’ve gathered all your ingredients, it’s time to start chopping and mixing. The more evenly chopped the vegetables are, the better your lou hei will look. Once everything is mixed together, it’s time to toss in the plum sauce and give it a final stir. Be sure to get a good mix of tart and sweet in each bite.

Give gifts

Gift-giving is another common tradition during the Chinese New Year.

And what better way to show your appreciation for your business partners and clients than by sending them festive goodies?

From hampers filled with traditional snacks to boxes of mandarin oranges and alcohol, the options for corporate gift-giving are nearly endless.

Of course, with so many companies competing for attention, it can be hard to stand out from the crowd.

So if you really want to impress your clients and get them talking, consider sending a festive hamper filled with unique and delicious treats. From hand-crafted cookies to artisanal teas, there are plenty of ways to show your clients that you care about them and their traditions.

There are a few things to keep in mind when choosing gifts for the Chinese New Year. Firstly, it is traditional to give gifts that are red in color, as red is lucky.

Secondly, you should try to avoid giving anything that is sharp or pointy, as this is bad luck.

And finally, it is always nice to include a card or note with your gift, as this shows that you are thinking of the recipient.

Before you go…

As the new year approaches, it’s time to start thinking about how you can take your business to the next level. This is where Instarem can help you.

The all-in-one Instarem payment platform allows you to consolidate all of your global payment operations for absolute convenience that saves you time and money. So don’t rely just on luck and traditions, sign up today to send money quickly and easily  to your employees, vendors, and customers around the globe

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