30 January 2001
by Kei Huynh

The Chinese New Year festivities in London Chinatown this year was a wonderful experience. The community really did themselves proud. The celebrations went on throughout the day, with lion dances, running commentaries and interpretations on the customs and traditions of Chinese New Year through loud speakers.

The main street (Gerrard Street) was bustling with stalls decorated in masses of red, Chinese calligraphy, Chinese clothes stalls selling chong sam and food stalls selling chow mein,satay chicken and spring rolls. The crowd of people was immense and it was human gridlock at times. Restaurants and supermarkets could not cope with the volume of customers.

But the highlight of the Chinese New Year celebrations was the lion dance, a symbol of luck, wealth and prosperity to welcome in the New Year. Outside shops owners dangled heads of lettuce tied together with several packets of lucky money (Lai See) and the symbol prosperity written in red. The lion would come along, dance in front of the shop, rear up and'eat' the lettuce before spitting it back out into the shop. This symbolizes prosperity entering the shop. And of course the Lai See was for the Lion to keep him/herself.

The atmosphere and the sense of being Chinese made me feel proud. The multicultural mix of Britain was ever present which included white and black people, Malaysians, Thais, Vietnamese and many others.

All in all a good day was had by all.