Bringing the Lunar New Year to Work: Creative Celebration Ideas for Every Team

As the world settles into the rhythm of a new year according to the Gregorian calendar, many cultures gear up for another, equally meaningful celebration: the Lunar New Year. Unlike January 1st, which is fixed, the Lunar New Year follows the lunar calendar, making its date shift each year. This transition marks not just a new year but also a fresh start tied to ancient traditions, nature’s cycles, and family bonds.

At its core, the Lunar New Year is about community, connection, and embracing new beginnings—values that resonate deeply in today’s diverse workplaces. Celebrating this occasion at work is an opportunity to honor cultural diversity, boost team morale, and foster an inclusive environment where everyone feels a sense of belonging. Let’s explore how your team can bring the spirit of the Lunar New Year into the workplace!

What is Lunar New Year?

The Lunar New Year, also known as the Spring Festival, is deeply significant in many Southeast Asian cultures. It symbolizes renewal, prosperity, and togetherness. In countries like China, Vietnam, Korea, and across Southeast Asia, it’s celebrated with vibrant customs. Families gather for feasts, homes are decorated with symbols of good fortune, and streets come alive with dragon dances, fireworks, and festive joy. From tossing Yee sang in Malaysia to enjoying sticky rice cakes during Tết in Vietnam, each region infuses its unique traditions into this celebration of hope and abundance.

Creative Ways to Celebrate Lunar New Year

Decorate Your Workspace

For In-Office Employees:

Transform your workplace into a vibrant space that reflects the diversity of Lunar New Year celebrations worldwide.

• Red and Gold Accents:
  Add traditional Chinese elements like red lanterns, gold streamers, and “福” (fortune) signs to symbolize luck and prosperity. In Northeast Indian celebrations like Bihu, consider using vibrant floral decorations and motifs of nature. For Seollal in Korea, integrate subtle touches of traditional hanbok patterns.

• Traditional Chinese Lanterns:
  Host a lantern-making activity where employees create colorful paper lanterns, inspired by both the Chinese Spring Festival and Tết in Vietnam. Incorporate patterns and symbols relevant to each culture’s traditions.

• Paper Cuttings:
  Teach the art of paper cutting, a Chinese tradition that represents good fortune. Expand this to include Losarsymbols from Tibet or motifs of the sun for Makar Sankranti in India. Offer templates to ensure inclusivity and fun for everyone.

• Lucky Bamboo Plants:
  Place lucky bamboo around the office as a symbol of growth, luck, and resilience, reflecting the themes of Tsagaan Sar in Mongolia and Bihu, which celebrates agricultural prosperity.

For Remote Employees:

Remote teams can still join in the festive spirit with creative digital and physical ideas.

• Virtual Backgrounds:
  Share a collection of virtual backgrounds representing various Lunar New Year traditions, such as Chinese lanterns, Korean hanboks, Tibetan prayer flags for Losar, or kites for Makar Sankranti.

• Decorate Webcams:
  Encourage employees to decorate their home workspaces with symbols like red envelopes, handmade lanterns, or cultural elements like the sun motif for Makar Sankranti.

• "Decorate Your Desk" Photo Contest:
  Host a contest where employees share photos of their desks decorated in line with Lunar New Year themes. Highlight creativity from various traditions and offer small prizes for participation.

Organize a Potluck Lunch

In-Office:

Food is an integral part of the Lunar New Year celebrations. Organize a team lunch or potluck where everyone can share traditional dishes. Encourage employees to bring dishes from their own cultures to celebrate diversity:

• Dumplings for the Chinese New Year.
• Sticky rice cakes (bánh chưng) for Tết.
• Rice cake soup (tteokguk) for Seollal.
• Pitha and laru for Bihu.
  Host a dumpling-making competition or a Bihu-inspired cooking workshop to make it interactive and fun.

Remote:

• Organize a virtual potluck where employees share recipes like the sesame and jaggery sweets of Makar Sankrantior butter tea from Losar.

• Host a “My Favorite Lunar New Year Food” presentation to share personal or cultural stories behind the dishes.

Conduct Cultural Activities

In-Office:

• Chinese Calligraphy and Painting Demonstrations: Introduce employees to calligraphy and symbols like “福” or their cultural equivalents in Vietnamese, Korean, and Mongolian traditions.

• Dance Performances: Arrange for cultural performances like lion or dragon dances for Chinese New Year, or traditional Assamese Bihu dances.

• Tea Ceremony: Host a tea-tasting session featuring teas from China, Tibet, and other regions that celebrate the Lunar New Year.

Remote:

• Virtual Calligraphy Lesson: Invite a calligraphy expert to teach employees online, highlighting different traditions like Korean Hangul or Tibetan script.

• Watch Performances Together: Stream traditional dance or kite-flying activities, such as those from Makar Sankranti or a Tsagaan Sar celebration.

• Cultural Story Sharing: Encourage employees to share myths and legends, like the story of the Jade Emperor in Chinese lore or the harvest tales of Bihu.

Offer Employee Learning Opportunities

In-Office:

• Host a lunch-and-learn session where employees explore the significance of festivals like Seollal, Tết, Losar, Bihu, or Makar Sankranti.

• Invite guest speakers to share personal experiences and cultural insights.

Remote:

• Share videos and articles explaining the traditions behind different Lunar New Year celebrations.

• Host a quiz on Lunar New Year trivia, including diverse festivals, with prizes for winners.

Recognize and Reward Employees

In-Office & Remote:

• Offer small tokens of appreciation like red envelopes (hongbao) with digital equivalents for remote teams.
• Include culturally relevant gifts such as tea blends for Losar, handmade bamboo crafts for Bihu, or sun-themed items for Makar Sankranti.
• Create a recognition board showcasing employees’ contributions to making the celebration meaningful and inclusive.

By embracing the richness of these diverse traditions, you can create a Lunar New Year celebration that not only honors cultural heritage but also strengthens team morale and spirit, making every employee feel valued and included.

Tips to Ensure Cultural Sensitivity and Inclusivity

BLS publishes information on seven different Asian groups—Asian Indian, Chinese, Filipino, Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese, and Other Asian. Of these, the percentage of each population that was employed in 2023 ranged from 54.3 percent of Japanese to 68.5 percent of Asian Indians. Also among the Asian groups with the highest employment-population ratios were Filipinos (64.6 percent) and Koreans (64.1 percent).

Educate Yourself and Your Team

When planning a Lunar New Year celebration, start by learning about its cultural significance and the diverse ways it’s celebrated. Whether it’s the Chinese Spring Festival, Vietnamese Tết, Korean Seollal, Tibetan Losar, Indian Makar Sankranti, or Assamese Bihu, take time to explore the rich traditions behind each one. Share what you learn with your team through articles, videos, or even guest speakers, so everyone gains a deeper appreciation for these celebrations.

Avoid Stereotypes and Misconceptions

Be mindful to avoid cultural stereotypes when planning activities or decorations. Instead of relying on oversimplified ideas, focus on authentic symbols and practices that reflect the true spirit of Lunar New Year. For example, while red and gold are significant for Chinese and Vietnamese celebrations, they may not apply to others like Makar Sankranti or Losar. Taking a broader, more inclusive approach shows respect and understanding.

Create a Safe and Inclusive Environment

Remember that not everyone celebrates Lunar New Year, so it’s important to make participation voluntary. When designing activities, consider dietary restrictions, accessibility, and cultural or religious sensitivities to ensure inclusivity. By creating a safe and welcoming environment, you allow everyone to enjoy the celebration in a way that feels comfortable for them.

Amplify Employee Voices

Encourage employees from different backgrounds to share their experiences and traditions. You can create opportunities for storytelling, cultural showcases, or even discussions about what Lunar New Year means to them. By amplifying their voices, you foster a sense of belonging and help everyone on your team feel valued and respected.

By following these tips, you can ensure your workplace Lunar New Year celebrations are inclusive, meaningful, and culturally sensitive, making everyone feel appreciated and inspired.

Tips for Successful Lunar New Year Celebrations

Plan and Budget Accordingly

Start with a clear plan and allocate a budget that aligns with your celebration goals. Consider the size of your team, the type of activities you want to include, and whether your celebration will be in-person, virtual, or hybrid. Make sure to budget for decorations, food, cultural activities, and small tokens of appreciation. Planning ahead helps ensure a smooth and well-organized event.

Communicate Effectively with Your Team

Keep your team informed about the celebration details well in advance. Use email, team meetings, or your company’s internal communication platforms to share the date, time, and schedule of activities. Highlight the significance of Lunar New Year and encourage participation by explaining how it connects to your team’s diversity and inclusion goals. Clear communication ensures everyone feels included and prepared.

Be Flexible and Adaptable

Not everything will go as planned, so be ready to adapt as needed. For in-person events, have a backup plan in case of unforeseen issues, like venue changes or activity delays. For virtual celebrations, test technology in advance to avoid glitches. Be open to feedback and willing to adjust meet the diverse needs of your team.

Evaluate and Improve for Future Celebrations

After the event, take time to gather feedback from your team. Use surveys, polls, or casual conversations to understand what worked well and what could be improved. Did employees enjoy the activities? Were there any aspects they found challenging or less engaging? By evaluating the celebration, you can make each Lunar New Year event better than the last, ensuring it continues to be meaningful and enjoyable for everyone.

FAQs

1. Why do companies often get the Lunar New Year wrong in the workplace?

Companies often miss the mark with Lunar New Year celebrations because they oversimplify or misunderstand its cultural significance. A common pitfall is focusing exclusively on Chinese traditions while overlooking the broader diversity of celebrations, such as Korean Seollal, Vietnamese Tết, or Indian Makar Sankranti. Another issue is a lack of employee involvement—without engaging team members who observe the holiday, companies risk planning activities that feel performative rather than authentic. Missteps like using stereotypes or failing to acknowledge the importance of inclusion can unintentionally alienate employees instead of bringing them together.

2. What is the difference between Lunar New Year and Chinese New Year?

While people often use the terms interchangeably, Lunar New Year is a broader celebration that spans many cultures and traditions, whereas Chinese New Year specifically refers to how the holiday is observed in China. Lunar New Year marks the beginning of the lunar calendar and is celebrated across Asia in different ways—Tết in Vietnam includes ancestral worship and bánh chưng (sticky rice cakes), Seollal in Korea features family rituals and tteokguk (rice cake soup), and Losar in Tibet involves prayer and vibrant festivals. Each culture brings its own flavor and traditions, showcasing the diversity within this shared seasonal transition.

3. Why Celebrate Lunar New Year at Work?

Celebrating Lunar New Year at work is a meaningful way to enhance team spirit, foster diversity, and build an inclusive workplace culture. It’s an opportunity to honor the heritage of employees who observe the holiday while educating others about its significance. Activities like sharing traditional food or learning about cultural stories can boost morale and create deeper connections among team members. Furthermore, embracing such celebrations strengthens your company’s reputation as an inclusive, employee-centered organization—one that values the richness of its team’s cultural backgrounds and promotes a sense of belonging.

A dreamer and an idealist in a long-term relationship with food and sleep, Lopamudra is more than thrilled to be part of the marketing team at Vantage Circle. When she is not in the vicinity or thinking about food, you can find her curled up in a corner with a good book and music. For any related queries, contact editor@vantagecircle.com.