Lunar New Year 2027 falls on Saturday, February 6, and opens the Year of the Fire Goat, a sign also translated as the Sheep or the Ram. It is celebrated across Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese and many other communities, each with its own customs, and gifts carry a lot of symbolism. A few do's and don'ts go a long way.
We plan delivery by Friday, February 5, the day before. Order by Wed, Jan 27 with Standard shipping or Tue, Feb 2 with Express.
Our Lunar New Year boxes
Both boxes hold 8 items and are priced without a 4. The Prosperity box comes in red and gold.
| Box | Items | Price | Order by |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Prosperity Lunar New Year Box | 8 | $128 | Standard: Wed, Jan 27. Express: Tue, Feb 2. |
| The Golden Goat Lunar New Year Trunk | 8 | $188 | Standard: Wed, Jan 27. Express: Tue, Feb 2. |
| Exclusive Gift House E-Gift Card | 1 | $50 to $500 | Any time, by email |
The Prosperity Lunar New Year Box ($128) holds jasmine tea, a mandarin candle, chocolate gold coins, candied ginger, almond cookies, a set of 8 gold-foil red envelopes, a red silk lucky knot and a card, in a red and gold keepsake box. Contains tree nuts, milk and wheat.
The Golden Goat Lunar New Year Trunk ($188) is for elders and hosts: oolong tea with a pair of glass tea cups, Medjool dates, pistachios, 1 g of Raihan Saffron, a mandarin candle, red envelopes and a card. Contains tree nuts.
The do's
- Choose red and gold. Red stands for luck and joy, gold for wealth. The Prosperity box comes in red and gold.
- Favor the number 8. In Chinese, eight sounds like the word for prosperity, so it is a lucky number to give. Both boxes hold 8 items and both prices contain an 8.
- Give in pairs. Even numbers suggest good things coming in twos. The Golden Goat trunk includes a pair of glass tea cups.
- Bring citrus and sweets. Mandarins and oranges are a familiar New Year symbol of good fortune, which is why both boxes carry a mandarin-scented candle. Sweets wish the family a sweet year.
- Use red envelopes for money. Red envelopes, called hongbao in Mandarin and lai see in Cantonese, hold crisp new bills in even amounts. Both boxes include gold-foil red envelopes.
- Offer with both hands. Presenting a gift with both hands is a sign of respect, especially to elders.
The don'ts
- Anything in fours. Four sounds like the word for death in Mandarin and Cantonese. Avoid sets of 4 and prices or cash amounts with a 4. None of our Lunar New Year prices contains a 4.
- Clocks. "Giving a clock" sounds like attending a funeral in Mandarin.
- Sharp objects. Knives and scissors suggest cutting ties.
- Pears. The word for pear sounds like the word for separation.
- Umbrellas. The word sounds like breaking apart.
- White or black wrapping. Both colors are associated with mourning. Stick to red and gold.
Who to give to, and when
New Year gifts usually travel with visits. The first days of the year are for calling on parents, grandparents and older relatives, and the celebration traditionally runs 15 days, ending with the Lantern Festival. That makes elders and hosts the first people on most lists, followed by close friends, colleagues and anyone who has helped the family during the year.
- For parents, grandparents and elders: The Golden Goat Lunar New Year Trunk. Tea to share, a pair of cups, dates and pistachios, and red envelopes for the grandchildren.
- For a host, a friend's family or a colleague: The Prosperity Lunar New Year Box, with jasmine tea, sweets and a red silk lucky knot for the door.
- For someone you cannot visit: ship a box to arrive by Friday, February 5, or send the e-gift card by email.
Greetings to write in the card
"Happy Lunar New Year" is always appropriate. In Mandarin, "Xin nian kuai le" means happy new year and "Gong xi fa cai" wishes prosperity. In Cantonese, "Gung hei fat choi" is the familiar greeting. For Korean friends celebrating Seollal, "Saehae bok mani badeuseyo" wishes them many blessings in the new year, and for Vietnamese friends celebrating Tết, "Chúc mừng năm mới" means happy new year. Our gift options take up to 200 characters, and we write the message by hand.
Why we built the boxes this way
We counted everything. Each box holds 8 items, each price has an 8 and neither contains a 4. We chose jasmine and oolong teas because tea is a gift a household can serve to visitors all through the New Year period, and we added red envelopes because they are always useful in the days before the holiday.
We also skipped anything that could be misread. There are no clocks, blades, pears or umbrellas in either box, and the glass tea cups come as a pair.
Shop both boxes in our Lunar New Year gifts collection. Ramadan is expected to begin two days after the New Year, on Monday, February 8, and Valentine's Day follows on Sunday, February 14; every date is on our order-by dates page.
Questions
When is Lunar New Year 2027?
Saturday, February 6, 2027. It begins the Year of the Fire Goat.
What gifts should you avoid for Lunar New Year?
Anything in fours, clocks, knives and scissors, pears, umbrellas, and white or black wrapping.
When should I order for Lunar New Year delivery?
Order by Wed, Jan 27 with Standard shipping or Tue, Feb 2 with Express. We plan delivery by Friday, February 5.
Is the Year of the Goat the same as the Year of the Sheep?
Yes. The zodiac sign is translated as Goat, Sheep or Ram, and 2027 pairs it with the Fire element.