Lunar New Year, also referred to as Chinese New Year or the Spring Festival, is a time to honor ancestors and look forward to prosperity in the year ahead. In the Lunar calendar, 2023 marks the beginning of the Year of the Rabbit. The Rabbit is known to be the luckiest of all the twelve zodiac animals, symbolizing mercy, elegance, and beauty.
Google Trends shows just how many ways there are to celebrate the holiday. Hong Kong and Taiwan are among the top regions searching the most for “red envelopes”, while top searched traditions in Malaysia are lantern festival, lion dance, and dragon dance.
We encourage you to take a well-earned paws before the festivities begin, with four tips to help make planning and getting things done during the holidays a breeze:
1. Get into the holiday mood with these playful ideas
Capture and share your Lunar New Year’s celebrations with a festive style designed by renowned watercolor artist Yao Cheng Design in the Google Photos collage editor. Or for a fun shot, you could put an Augmented Reality Rabbit in your space and snap a selfie together when you search “Lunar New Year” on your phone’s browser – plus a special seasonal surprise. Google has other fun things you can try, such as playing with themed pieces of art made into a puzzle by Google Arts and Culture where you can even choose between three different difficulty settings so everyone in the family can pitch in.
2. You are hutch you eat (and watch)
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For many people, the holidays are a great time to catch up with relatives you haven’t seen in months. But what if the conversation runs dry? Before anyone gets angora, try some TV — and don’t get lost in the warren of options, let “lunar new year movie” suggestions from Google help you find the perfect show or movie to keep everyone happy. Helpful recipe results when searching for traditional dishes such as nian gao and pineapple tart will also make sure that hunger pangs are kept at bay.
3. Hoppy holiday shopping
If that all sounds a bit exhausting, how about some retail therapy? You don’t even need to put it into words, if something catches your eye while you’re out-and-about, take a picture with Google Lens and get info on the products as you search what you see right in front of you. Don’t forget your (Google) wallet (an app in your phone) to help make paying a breeze.
4. Cotton-on to these travel planning tools
If you’re hopping off overseas for the holidays, Google can take the pain out of planning. Find eco-friendly options for flights or hotels in Search, and if you’re traveling somewhere you don’t speak the language, Google Lens on your phone can translate signs, menus, and much more.
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