HOW TO CELEBRATE CHINESE NEW YEAR
Happy Chinese New Year! The tradition of celebrating the Lunar New Year in China goes back to as early 2300 BC — far before the calendar we use in the West was ever created. And it has fascinating traditions. The official date changes every year and the celebrations last for 15 days. In 2019, Chinese New Year starts on Tuesday, February 5. Red is to Chinese New Year what the tree is to Christmas. People wear the color, and houses and city streets are decorated in red. And an animal is used to represent each year: This is the Year of the Pig — which means 2019 will be full of great fortune and luck. Here’s how you can make the most of this very auspicious time at The Shops at Columbus Circle.
Sugarfina
Gift giving is an important tradition for Chinese New Year, and Sugarfina wants to help you share the Year of the Pig in sweet style. The designer candy store will be carrying a range of Lunar New Year items, from the two-piece Bento Box, which can be filled with your favorite candies, to the Champagne Bears ($8.50), which are infused with Vintage Dom Pérignon and presented in a limited-edition red-and-gold foil cube.
Diptyque
This Lunar New Year, Diptyque is celebrating with two new limited-edition candles ($38-$74). Scented with Centifolia Rose and Damecena Rose and decorated in shades of red, your room will smell as beautiful as it looks. The collection will be available through Lunar New Year and Valentine’s Day.
Williams-Sonoma
Besides offering Asian-themed tabletop items like a Lunar New Year Rectangular Platter ($39.95) that will make any meal more festive, Williams-Sonoma is hosting a fun Chinese cooking class. At “Mister Jiu’s Chinatown Pop Up” (January 27), you’ll learn to make some of the Cantonese specialties served at Mister Jiu’s in San Francisco’s Chinatown. The class is $30 per person and reservations are required; call the store to secure your spot.
Hugo Boss
Hugo Boss is making this Chinese New Year extra special with an exclusive Eastern-inspired capsule collection that will only be available at a select few locations, including Columbus Circle. There’s everything from a short-sleeve T-shirt with a Chinese New Year Graphic ($118) to an Italian-leather backpack with a print by New York City-based artist Jeremyville ($695) to an enamel pig key ring ($57.99). And from February 1 to 10, you’ll receive a special gift with your purchase of $388 or more.
Eileen Fisher
Eileen Fisher is getting into the spirit with $25 off any red item in the store on February 2 and 5 and will also be giving guests a range of Chinese New Year-themed treats, from candy to fortune scratch-offs. In addition, the shop will be serving complimentary green tea and tangerines on both days from noon to 6 p.m. Pick up Eileen Fisher’s Italian Cashmere Ribbed Top ($398) in the perfect shade of Chinese red, and you’ll be ready to rock the New Year.
Mandarin Oriental New York
After you’ve done your shopping, head to Mandarin Oriental New York for Asian-inspired drinks, bites, and pampering. At Asiate, the restaurant is offering a special tea menu from February 5 to 19 with an array of Chinese teas, a green tea ice cream dessert, and house-made oversized fortune cookies. In the spa, you can experience the Oriental Qi ($480), a hands-on massage ritual that uses essential oils to work on your energy points. Now that’s the way to start off the new year.
