Which Lunar New Year tradition do you like best and why?
Walter Mak Kiu-shun, 15, Ma On Shan St Joseph's Secondary School
I like writing fai chun best. However, most people find it very time consuming because each word has to be carefully written. I believe writing fai chun not only cultivates your patience, it can also be used as a wonderful gift during the Lunar New Year holidays. It is even better than lai see, because it has greater meaning than money. Most importantly, I want to give my blessings to my family and friends through fai chun.
Dorothy Yim, 14, St Paul's Convent School
Definitely the lion dance. This spectacular event takes place during the first few days of the festival. Not only do the skilled entertainers' performances bring good luck to the households they visit, people appreciate lion dancers because they reflect the energy of the Chinese and promote the rich and vibrant Chinese culture. The colourful lion dancers convey the joys of the festival, and encourage people to work hard to accomplish their goals. Besides, the dance symbolises good health and prosperity.
Kelvin Yu Chun-yin, 12, Sing Yin Secondary School
I like the lai see tradition best because the red colour of the envelopes symbolises good luck. Also, the red packets represent a blessing from adults to children. Moreover, the Lunar New Year is the best time for teenagers to collect a large amount of pocket money. They can save the money or use it to help the poor. Or they can buy new clothes with the lai see.
Amy Lau Yeung-yeung, 16, Diocesan Girls' School
At this time of the year, Hong Kong is a sea of red. There are couplets and good wishes written on red paper everywhere. You can find them outside classrooms, stores, buildings and even restaurants. Apart from being used as decoration, the red paper represents our best wishes and helps inspire people. These blessings are passed from one generation to the next, and they are a crucial element of the Lunar New Year tradition.
Emma Tsoi, 13, Diocesan Girls' School
I really like the tradition of keeping a candy box at home. During the Lunar New Year, children as well as adults eat a lot of candy, mainly traditional Chinese sweets. Using the candy box to store juicy mandarins can bring good luck to a family in the coming year. Therefore, the tradition of keeping a candy box at home is my favourite aspect of the festival.
Alex Ko, 15, Po Leung Kuk No 1, WH Cheung College
There are many Lunar New Year traditions, including handing out lai see, getting together with family members and wearing new clothes. But my favourite is the lion dance. Usually accompanied by drums, cymbals and gongs, the dance brings a fresh start to the year. It helps drive out evil spirits and bring good luck to the people. The lion dance is what the Lunar New Year is all about, so it's the tradition I appreciate the most.
Qurahtulain, 19, Hong Kong Baptist University
When we think of Lunar New Year traditions, family gatherings, traditional food and red packets come to mind. As for me, wearing red clothes comes just ahead of receiving lai see. I like red but I normally wouldn't wear clothes of that colour. However, during the Lunar New Year, I feel more at home wearing such clothes, along with a lot of people with the same preference. Moreover, red symbolises a bright future.
