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Wed Mar 05, 2025
Client: FOFC - FOREST OF FLOWERS The Chinese Lunar New Year marks the beginning of the lunar calendar year and typically takes place between January 21-February 20. It’s traditionally a time for family reunions, honouring ancestors, and celebrating new beginnings.
This holiday is rife with stunning cultural traditions, from feasts and fireworks to giving hongbao (red envelopes) for good luck. It’s also a time of giving gifts, including flowers and fruits that hold significance to the culture.
Each year is associated with one of the 12 Chinese zodiac animals, and the festivities symbolize wishes for health, prosperity, and happiness in the coming year. In this blog post, we’ll be exploring traditional flower gifts for the new year, their meanings, and possible alternatives you can give instead.
Kumquat trees are a very popular plant you’ll see decorating the Chinese New Year, particularly in South China’s Cantonese-speaking areas of Hong Kong, Guangdong, Guangxi, and Macau. Kumquat trees symbolize wishes for wealth and good luck. In the Cantonese and Mandarin languages, the same of the tree actually sounds similar to the word “good luck.”
Alternatively, you could also opt for a tangerine tree. The tangerine tree holds special significance during the Lunar New Year as it symbolizes prosperity, good fortune, and happiness.
Pink and orange are essential colours in the tradition, so if you’re having a hard time finding these vibrant orange fruits, consider our Orange and Pink Creamsicle arrangement! It has vibrant orange lilies, bright pink roses, and fuchsia gerberas.
Lucky bamboo in the Chinese tradition is a symbol of strength. Lucky bamboo is also very versatile and easy to customize, as it can be bent and twirled into beautiful and unique shapes. Traditionally, the lucky bamboo is decorated with red ribbons and other lucky ornaments. Here are some ornaments you might see on lucky bamboo:
Having a hard time finding bamboo? Sometimes they sell out during the season, so if you’re having a head-scratcher – let us make you our Daily Deal. This is an affordable option that we can hand-craft for any occasion.
During the Chinese Lunar New Year, most local flower shops and markets will have many bouquets, pots, and arrangements featuring orchids – which come in stunning colours like pink, white, purple, and even blue. Orchids symbolize fertility and abundance, including having many children. Orchids are also known to signify opulence, luxury, and innocence, making them a perfect gift for the Chinese Lunar New Year.
Peach blossoms aren't just pretty little pink flowers; they're very popular decorations this time of year. Peach blossoms symbolize prosperity, growth, and romance, making them very popular amongst young and wistfully hopeful singles. However, due to their blooming cycle, they might be difficult to find fresh, with many opting to use faux peach blossoms as decorations instead.
Pastel perfection features soft pink flowers such as roses, lilies, alstroemerias and more. It mirrors the soft pink hues of the peach blossom and is perfect for this time of year.
Plum blossoms are a brighter, more vibrant pink than peach blossoms and symbolize perseverance and reliability. They're particularly popular to see in parks and gardens. In Chinese tradition, plum blossoms are also recognized as symbols of endurance and courage. The "four nobles" or "four gentlemen" of the season are the plum, orchid, bamboo, and chrysanthemum.
A mix of pinks, our Pretty ‘n’ Pink Carnations are a great alternative if you can’t get your hands on some plum blossoms. It’s perfect for several occasions, including the Chinese Lunar New Year. Check in with your local flower shop, Forest of Flowers, and we’ll set you up! Our experienced local florists have the skills to get your decor ready and delivered.
Peonies are stunning flowers that come in a variety of colours, popularly associated with femininity, affection, charm, and innocence. Red peonies are actually quite popular around this time, reflecting symbolism of riches and honour.
Red roses are an excellent alternative if you can’t find red peonies. Red roses are usually abundant flowers that can be found in most local flower shops. Red roses are also opulent and regal, so they make an excellent stand-in.
Red or pink anthuriums (or flamingo lilies) are popular gifts during the Chinese Lunar New Year. It's an auspicious bloom that is symbolic of prosperity and abundance. The heart-shaped flower is not only beautiful to look at, but it also makes a good gift to give around Valentine's Day. They're also hardy plants that are sure to last for months if given the proper care.
Gladiolus symbolizes a popular Chinese phrase: "bù bù gāo shēng" (步步高陞), which translates to "progressing step by step" or "may each step rise higher." It's often attributed to career growth and is a popular decoration around this time of year, especially the red variety.
Snapdragons have some similarities to gladiolus as they are both long florals with multiple blooms that run up the stem. They’re available in multiple colours, including pink, white, yellow, red and more.
Chrysanthemums are available even during the wintertime, earning them the moniker of a resilient flower built for longevity. This makes them a perfect decoration for those seeking to find more internal strength this year. This serendipitous plant captures much of what the Chinese Lunar New Year is all about, making it a good option as a gift or decor.
A mix of hydrangeas and lilies, this could be a good option if you’re having a hard time finding the fluffy-looking chrysanthemum. Our experienced local florists can craft this beautiful piece on your behalf.
Fruits during the new year are symbolisms of happiness, good luck, wealth, and more. They’re not only delicious treats during the season, but they make excellent gifts. Here are some of the best fruits to use as offerings for the Chinese Lunar New Year.
Pomelos: Pomelos represent good luck and family unity, and they're in season just before the Chinese Lunar New Year. This means you can find them generally ripe (yellow skin) or unripe varieties (green skin). A large citrus, they can be sweet and tangy, juicy and enjoyable.
Pomegranates: Pomegranates, with their multiple seeds, represent fertility, making them a popular gift to give newlyweds during the time of "bai neen" in an effort to bless them with children. Bai neen is the act of visiting family during festivities.
Apples: Red apples can carry the symbolic message of optimism during the Chinese Lunar New Year, making them an excellent choice for gifting this season.
Flowers are more than just beautiful blooms – they are expressions of gratitude, joy, and compassion.
Whether you're celebrating a milestone, offering support during difficult times, or marking any special moment, we have the perfect flower for every occasion.
As Ontario’s fastest-growing florist chain, we take pride in delivering fresh, high-quality flowers at affordable prices, whether you’re shopping online or visiting one of our flower shops across the province.
Trust Forest of Flowers to craft your flowers for the Chinese Lunar New Year. Our flower delivery services will get your flowers there on time!
