Happy Chinese New Year!

Often called the Chinese Lunar New Year, it is the longest and most important celebration in the culture of Chinese people.

In China and other countries with significant Chinese populations it is considered to be a major holiday, meaning time off work and large festivities.

But, here in the UK, Chinese New Year often passes without much visible celebration.

Here in Lincoln however, there is one restaurant dedicating their week to celebrating, and celebrating large.

Yoyo in Beijing, a family run restaurant situated in the Junxion building on St Marks Street, is following on its tradition of getting their customers involved in bringing in the New Year.

Restaurant manager, Dave Cheng spoke of the celebrations: “We are planning on getting the Chinese New Year message to the people of Lincoln.”

“We are having various events throughout the week, including vegetable carving and special one off Chinese New Year dishes.” He explained.

The celebrations began last night, marking the start of the official New Year from today.

Specialist foods, drinks and performances are on offer, giving customers a real flavour of Chinese culture.

Within China itself celebrations are felt right through daily life.

Traditionally, families will thoroughly clean their homes to remove and ill feeling from the previous year. They will then decorate their homes with red coloured drapes and paper decorations.

Red is traditionally a colour associated with luck in China, with parents choosing red envelopes to give money to their children on New Years day.

This is something which Yoyo’s are also taking on board: “We will be giving away envelopes to children and other visitors to the restaurant for them to hang on our wishing tree to bring good luck for the rest of the year.”

On the eve itself, huge celebrations of food, drinks and firecrackers are hosted throughout China, and so it is this which Dave Cheng, Yoyo’s manager hopes to bring.

Decorating the bar in a traditional peking fashion, special events in the restaurant will  also include raffling off a large toy rabbit, the wishing tree and yoyo’s famous special cocktails.

The weekend will culminate in an extravagant firecracker show and dragon parade on Sunday the 6^th, which will lead customers and celebrators through the city, before a private performance is put on inside the restaurant for customers.

Also look out for a show by the Sheffield Lion dancers and an appearance by Yoyo himself!

Tables are available for booking for the weekend, and it is highly recommended to book.

Dave Cheng summed it up perfectly: “In China the celebration of Chinese New Year is as important as Christmas is in the UK.”

“It would be nice if just for a weekend the Chinese spirit was felt around the city and everyone joined in on the festivities.”