Gong Xi Fa Cai - Happy Chinese New Year to those of you who celebrate it Just before Chinese New Year, we decided to head down to Chinatown and see what the scene was like and what type of preparations were going on. And although they were far smaller scale than what you would see in many places in Asia, you could still see a lot of activity and many Chinese buying last-minute things for the celebrations.

Chinese New Year decorations for sale in Chinatown, New York

Chinatown is home to over 100,000 Chinese in New York, most of whom have come from Hong Kong and speak Cantonese. We did however, hear a lot of the stall workers speaking Mandarin so they might be some of the more recent arrivals from China.

Chinese New Yorkers buying supplies for the celebrations

The stalls were selling everything from decorations, to flowers and oranges. Oranges are a very important part of the Chinese New Year tradition and when visiting friends or relatives during this festive season, it is a custom to give them Mandarin oranges and wish them a prosperous new year ahead.

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