Where and how you can spend the Chinese New Year this 2025

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MANILA, Philippines – Gong Xi Fa Cai! Out of ideas and plans on how to celebrate Chinese New Year? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered! There’s something for everyone, whether it’s exciting events, staycations with your loved ones, shopping sprees, feasts at hotels and restaurants, or even celebrating from the comfort of your own home.

Here are some festive ideas to make the Year of the Wood Snake extra fun and unforgettable for you and your loved ones:

Shop collections, bazaars

Araneta City in Cubao will hold a Lunar New Year Prosperity Bazaar, where you can shop for charms, amulets, and other goods from the exhibitors. You can find this bazaar at the Lower Ground Floor of the Activity Area in Ali Mall from January 22 to January 31.

Charms and amulets at the Prosperity Bazaar. Photo courtesy of Araneta City

Meanwhile, COS, a London-based fashion brand, welcomes the 2025 Lunar New Year with its limited-edition collection. Their campaign embraces the themes of “new energy and good fortune,” just in time for the festive season. 

The collection showcases a selection of limited-edition bags, bag charms, and seasonal ready-to-wear pieces designed to bring a fresh perspective to your wardrobe. 

The heart of their collection is the exclusive hand-crafted bag charms that draw inspiration from Chinese knots, symbolizing prosperity, harmony, and a new beginning. Each charm is uniquely designed, but more than its aesthetic appeal, it carries cultural and symbolic meanings. The Cross Knot represents good fortune, the Peace Knot embodies peace and harmony, the Ice Blossom Knot signifies success and the fulfillment of dreams, and the Double Ear Knot celebrates love and union.

The collection, which was made in collaboration with Chinese artist Amber Chen, is available online and at SM Aura Premier.  

The Cross Knot. Photo courtesy of COS

Events, staycations, buffets, and restaurants

If you’re searching for a one-of-a-kind staycation experience, complete with exciting events, buffets, and a variety of dining options, Solaire Resort Entertainment City and City of Dreams Manila have some things in store for you.

Solaire Resort Entertainment City promises a celebration filled with experiences, including exclusive fortune readings, Dragon Lion dance performances, and even a chance to win cash prizes while enjoying your time at the resort. It’s a one-stop destination where you can dine at renowned restaurants like Red Lantern, Fresh International Buffet, House of Zhou, and Oasis Garden Café.

To make sure you can bring the whole family along, Solaire Resort North also offers staycation packages, perfect for family getaways.

Solaire Resort Entertainment City’s fortune treats. Photo courtesy of Solaire

Another option for you is to celebrate the auspicious occasion at City of Dreams Manila. They invite you to their Chinese New Year celebration with their New Year ceremonies, to their pride award-winning Cantonese Restaurant, Crystal Dragon, and a lot more to choose from.

This year, City of Dreams Manila outdoes itself with lion and 70-ft dragon dance performances, ceremonial tosses, and premium dining experiences. Crystal Dragon presents its take on the traditional prosperity toss salad, paired with Prosperity Abalone Yee Sang and more, offering a symbolic feast for good fortune in the year ahead. The celebration doesn’t end there — dine at Nobu Manila and Red Ginger, where both will feature special New Year dishes to bring luck, prosperity, and blessings that overflow into the year ahead.

Crystal Dragon’s Prosperity Abalone Yee Sang. Photo courtesy of City of Dreams Manila

This year of the Wood Snake, Din Tai Fung offering a special Lunar New Year Menu, starting on January 29. You can feast on world-famous specials like the Wagyu Mala Xialongbao, Oyster Misua Soup, Fried Pumpkin in Salted Egg, Szechuan Pepper Soft Shell Crab, Spareribs in Chili Garlic, and Almond Pudding with Red Bean! These exclusive specials will only be available for a month.

A feast for the eyes: Exhibits

If you want some changes in your usual Chinese New Year experience, you can experience the vibrant Coiled in Creativity and Transformation at Summit Ridge Tagaytay.

Starting on January 25, the month-long exhibit will showcase a diverse array of artworks that incorporates traditional and contemporary approaches and designs, with the themes of metamorphosis, growth, and artistic evolution. It promises an experience that is “more than just an art show” — it’s a celebration of transformation, made possible by 21 talented artists who come from various walks of life.

Summit Ridge Tagaytay’s roster of artists for their Chinese New Year 2025 celebration. Photo courtesy of Summit Ridge Tagaytay

The celebration doesn’t end with the breathtaking pieces, visitors can also dine in a Chinese lunch and dinner buffet at the hotel, punctuating the festival with a Lion and Dragon Dance as part of the grand celebration– all happening on January 25. 

For the stamp lovers out there, the Philippine Philatelic Federation Inc. and Robinsons Malls are joining forces for a stamp exhibition showcasing Chinese Zodiac stamps.

The exhibition will open on January 23 in Robinsons Manila, just in time for the launch of PHLPost’s “2025 Year of the Wood Snake” special postage stamps. The exhibition will later move to Robinsons Magnolia from January 24 to 26, to Robinsons Galleria from January 28 to 30, then back to Robinsons Manila from January 31 to February 2. 

PHLPost snake stamp priced at P200. Photo courtesy of PHLPost

Stamps ranging from P16 to P200 pesos will be available for purchase. 

Year of the Wood Snake stamps by PHLPost. Photo courtesy of PHLPost

For those looking to get a glimpse of what’s in store for their future this year, Araneta City in Cubao also has a Chinese Horoscope Predictions Exhibit, where you can view the luck forecast for each of the 12 animals for the coming year. This will be on view from January 24 to 28.

Araneta City’s Chinese Horoscope Predictions Exhibit. Photo courtesy of Araneta City

Dragon and lion dances

Of course, we can’t forget the dragon and lion dances. Araneta City will also be holding its own schedules for the long-awaited shows, spanning January 28 and 29.

The dragon and lion dances at Araneta City. Photo by Leeroyd Kristoffer P. Pelaez

Here is the rotation schedule:

Araneta City’s dragon and lion dance schedule. Photo courtesy of Araneta City

On January 29, from 10 am to 11:30 am, the Lucky Chinatown Hotel in Binondo Manila also has its own lion dance scheduled.

Lucky Chinatown Hotel’s lion dance schedule. Photo courtesy of Lucky Chinatown Hotel’s Facebook page

Whether you’re immersing yourself in cultural experiences, indulging in festive dishes, or simply enjoying time with loved ones, this Lunar New Year symbolizes transformation and renewal. It’s a perfect time to embrace change, create lasting memories, and step into a year filled with new beginnings and unforgettable memories. – Rappler.com