Have you ever noticed how New Year’s parties can often feel overrated? This is because we often choose to do the same thing over and over, expecting different results. Well, guess what ladies? This New Year is going to be different! Whether it’s your first time hosting a New Years’ party or you are in fact a seasoned hostess, we’re pretty confident that hosting a Chinese New Year party is relatively new territory for you.
With that being said, there is absolutely no reason why you can’t try something new to go into the new year with (see what we did there!) and we’re here to help you do it! Before we continue, please see our blog post on decorating a Chinese New Year party – if you’re still in the planning phase.
If you’re sorted in the party planning department and are now looking into the entertainment side of things, please continue with us here. We’ve gathered 10 of our favorite Chinese New Year activities and games to share with you in preparation for 2021’s celebrations… Let’s go!
1. Play Majiang (Mah Jong)
The go-to Chinese New Year game is Majiang (Mah Jong) which is a traditional tile-based game, originated some 300 years ago. The game is played with a set of 144 tiles, based on Chinese symbols and characters; Bamboo, Dots, Honors, Characters, and Bonus.
How to play: Shuffle all the tiles and roll the dice to decide which player goes first. Each player draws 13 tiles from the pool and stacks them up in front of themselves. The starting player draws one extra tile to start the game. Through the course of the game, players take it in turns to draw and discard tiles. In order to win, you’ll need to form four sets and a pair (two of the same tiles are considered a pair). When you win you say: “Sik wu!”
See the video below for a full explanation and get practicing – you’ll need to teach it to your guests, too!
2. Decorate Paper Lanterns
This next option for Chinese New Year activities and games is paper lantern decorating. This is a great activity for all of the family to join in on and we’re huge fans of anything creative! Grab a bunch of plain white paper lanterns from Amazon and get decorating!
How to decorate: Quite simply, give each guest a paper lantern to call their own, lay out some acrylic paints or multi-colored permanent markers, and let everyone go wild! It’s a foolproof activity for kids and adults alike, and we have another surprise for you later on with what to do next. Stay tuned…
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3. Play Chinese New Year Lotto Game
This is the latest in our party range here at Cotier Brand, and we absolutely love it! Now, of course we’re a little biased, but this Scratch Off Lottery Card game is a real winner for New Years parties – especially of the Chinese New Year nature. Plus, there’s 30 in a pack so there’s more than enough to go around each guest!
How to play: Hand out one card to each guest and ask them to scratch off the golden circle. Each card will feature a positive affirmation for your guest to take into 2021 with them, while three cards have a little bonus. Look out for the cards with “WINNER” underneath the affirmation; those guests are – you guessed it! – winners. This means you’ll need to provide a little gift from them, of course!
4. Share Red Envelopes
Red envelopes or Hong Bao are a long-standing Chinese tradition and are seen as gifts of prosperity and good fortune. It’s also a lovely Chinese New Year activity for all of your guests to engage in! There are hundreds of red and gold envelope designs to choose from online, but we really love these ones from Amazon. Be sure to add the lucky coins inside, too!
How to share: Display your Hong Bao on a table or a tree, and ask each of your guests to take one from themselves. Tell your guests to open their envelopes and take a peek inside, while explaining to them the tradition of Hong Bao. Now your guests will have learned something new and will have a lucky coin to take home. How about that?
5. Play Chinese New Year Bingo
Much like most bingo games, the concept is pretty simple. However, what’s fun here is that this is a Chinese New Year themed bingo game – where you and your guests get to learn new things about Chinese culture, and have fun doing it!
How to play: Hand out a bingo card to each of your guests, and randomly call out each picture in turn. The first guest to cross off all their pictures must shout “BINGO!” to win the game – and a little New Year surprise!
Make sure you have a small gift or gifts prepared to give the winner or winners!
6. Set Off Some Firecrackers
There are some truly wonderful traditions in Chinese culture, and firecrackers are definitely one of them! Originally set to ward off bad spirits, Chinese firecrackers are an absolute must-have for any Chinese New Year party. Some guests prefer to have the fake ones for show now, while others like to go the full shebang! – excuse the pun.
How to set off firecrackers: First things first, make sure you can gain permission to let off any kind of firework in the place you’ll be hosting your Chinese New Year party. Once you’ve been given the go ahead, find a safe space where all of your guests can be FAR away from the lighting off the firecrackers. Once everything is set up and you’ve taken all necessary safety measures, light them up, sit back and enjoy the show with your guests!
Disclaimer: We are by no means professionals when it comes to fireworks. Please seek professional guidance when using any kind of fireworks and if you’re not sure about it, don’t do it!
7. Play Chinese New Year Trivia
The beauty of trivia is that it can apply to pretty much ANY holiday or celebration. With that being said, as far as Chinese New Year activities and games go, this one’s a real cracker! You can purchase many Chinese New Year trivia packs online, for as little as $3, so it’s a very cost-effective way to entertain your guests at your Chinese New Year party!
How to play: Not that this is really necessary, but in a nutshell, trivia is a question and answer game, usually about a specific topic. In this case, the topic is Chinese New Year. Divide your guests into teams, and put on your question-master hat. Ask each question out loud, and ask each team to ‘buzz’ for their answer. The team with the most correct answers wins!
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8. Learn Chinese Calligraphy
When it comes to calligraphy, there is a very specific skill involved that separates the good from the not-so-good! Despite this, it’s really one of the best Chinese New Year activities and games for you and your guests to do together. Chinese Calligraphy is a real art form and it’s wonderful to be able to introduce some culture into your New Year party!
We’ve found the perfect starter kit to learn Chinese calligraphy here!
How to learn: Our best advice here would be to watch some Youtube videos (like the one we have below!) and find your best fit. When you’ve found someone who is easy to follow, set up a projector – before your party – and play it along as you and your guest learn Chinese calligraphy. You can also pick up a whole set on Amazon at a very affordable price – what a win!
9. Make Your Own Dumplings
Don’t get too excited – we’re not going to give you a step-by-step recipe on how to make your own dumpling dough from scratch for Chinese New Year! However, what we are going to do is show you how easy dumplings can be to make! Before you even attempt it though, do yourself a favor and pick up this Dumpling Steamer Kit – it will help you A LOT in the long run!
How to make: Once you’ve got your dumpling kit at the ready, take your pre-bought (yes, this is necessary) dumpling sheets and fill each one with a small amount of filling. Wet half of the edge, fold over, and stick down with the tools provided. Allow time for mistakes and learn as you go – eventually, you and your guests will have made a bunch of half-decent dumplings to put in the steamer for a snack! Such a thoughtful bunch of Chinese New Year activities and games, right?
10. Light And Release Paper Lanterns
To round off your well-entertained, memorable Chinese New Year party, there is nothing better than releasing your pre-decorated paper lanterns into the skies. Obviously, make sure this is allowed where you’re hosting and double check the paper lanterns you’re using are biodegradable. Once you’ve got that covered, away they go!
How to release: Gather your guests and ask them each to hold their paper lantern. Ask everyone to move their lanterns around a bit to allow air to get caught inside it. Once everyone’s lanterns are all fluffed up, get everyone into pairs to light their lanterns and release them into the sky (there are definitely more detailed instructions included in your purchase!). Sit back and enjoy the beautiful evening you’ve created for you and your loved ones.
Happy New Year!
From all of us at Cotier Brand, we just want to wish you a very merry holiday season and a very Happy New Year – however you choose to celebrate. We know 2020 has been one heck of a year, but we can all say we made it to the other side. So, cheers to that, ladies!
If you’re looking for more party inspiration and hosting tips, be sure to follow us on Instagram @CotierBrand and subscribe to our mailing list here
