Decorate for Chinese New Year with me! I have a confession to make, I use to dislike how CNY decor is always so bright and red. But as I grow older, I have learned to appreciate and love the boldness and cheerfulness of the decor. We decorate with red because it is an auspicious colour said to bring good fortune and welcome luck. But it’s was also believed to ward off evil so you’ll see a lot of people wear and decorate with red before the Spring Festival! It’s not just the colour that is symbolic but all the motifs you see are also rife with meaning. The firecracker pendants we decorate with is meant to be a nod to the fireworks that are launched on New Year’s day to drive away evil and to welcome the new year. The fish motif is used a lot because the word fish in Chinese sounds like the word abundance so we’ll eat fish and decorate with fish motifs! You’ll see a lot of cheery and plum blossoms with red envelopes or red charms hung on the branches because it is a tree that will bloom in the harshest winter. It represents the hope and promise of life even in the midst of hardship. All the couplets and phrases you see being hung on door frames and walls all say wonderful well wishes and blessings to those who enter your home. Everything is beautiful to me now because of the richness in culture and tradition. I have come to love decorating for Chinese New Year and love sharing it with you! There’s going to be more to come so make sure to follow along. LTKSeasonal LTKWatchNow