5 Ways to Celebrate the Lunar New Year Remotely

The Lunar New Year — celebrated by many countries in Asia — is almost upon us. On Sunday, January 22, billions of people will begin celebrating the event with parties and festive traditional gatherings. Each culture celebrates the Lunar New Year differently, but the common themes are togetherness and prosperity. It's a time to say goodbye to the past year and prepare for all the good things that come with a new year.  

If you and your remote team want to celebrate the Year of the Rabbit, you can make it happen. Each of these ideas will allow your team members to kick off Lunar New Year 2023 in style. And all from the comfort of their own homes.

Chinese Calligraphy Class

Celebrate the Lunar New Year with Offsyte's Lunar New Year Chinese Calligraphy Class. During this event, your team will be introduced to the art of Chinese Calligraphy. Don't worry if you're all new to this — this activity is specifically designed for beginners. During the class, you and your team will learn the basics of traditional Chinese calligraphy, including how to properly hold the calligraphy brush, some beginner writing strokes, and even common Lunar New Year sayings. The Calligraphy Class comes with a kit —  a Chinese calligraphy brush, ink bottle, calligraphy paper, ink holder and more — so you can keep working on your skills after the activity is over.

Lumpia Making

The Philippines is one of the many countries that celebrate the Lunar New Year. For something different, invite your team to learn how to make Lumpia — sometimes referred to as Filipino spring rolls. Lumpia are the perfect Lunar New Year food. They can be sweet or savory, but for this class, you'll be making a savory version. Your team will learn how to make Lumpia from an AAPI-owned small business based in California. This class won't only be about cooking. The hosts are not only experts at making Lumpia, they're great at engaging remote workers and keeping the class fun, but also educational.

Get Bobawasted

Are you familiar with the boba tea trend? If not, the Lunar New Year is a good time to get acquainted. Boba tea is a tea-based drink that originated in Taiwan in the 1980s. It contains tea, milk, tapioca pearls and simple syrup. During our Get Bobawasted class, you and your team will learn how to make boba tea, the history of boba, boba fun facts and much more. The activity will start out with a quick intro to boba tea and some guided prep work. Once the prep is done, you'll begin making the tea while engaging in fun conversations with your team and the host.

Energy Cleansing

Usher in the Lunar New Year by ridding yourself of old energy and boosting your chakra. Chakra refers to the various focal points used in ancient meditation practices. During this activity, you and your team will learn meditation basics, smudging and other holistic practices that are designed to cleanse your aura. This Energy Cleansing class is a great way to ring in a new year. Here's what one person had to say about the class: "Although this was a virtual event, it was beautifully managed and the kits arrived on time and in great condition. The instructor and hosts were engaging, and personable and made this a fun and educational experience." If you're ready to get rid of your old chakra and welcome in a new one, try Energy Cleansing. Yes, we're pretty sure that's a thing.

Furoshiki Wrapping

Looking to incorporate sustainability into a Lunar Year celebration? Try Offsyte's Furoshiki wrapping class. Furoshiki is a traditional Japanese wrapping method. You and your team will learn the art of using decorative square cloths as a means to wrap gifts and transport items. This class comes in a few different versions. There is just the basic Furoshiki class, but there are also options with chocolate horchata, cinnamon whiskey and spiked horchata. No matter what class you choose, your remote team will enjoy learning this eco-friendly tradition.

For additional Lunar New Year celebration ideas for work, we have listed many events, including activities owned by Asian American and Pacific Islander business owners in our ‘Lunar New Year 2023’ collection.

More to Know About Ways to Celebrate the Lunar New Year Remotely

Here are some common questions people have about celebrating the Lunar New Year.

How do you celebrate the Lunar New Year on Zoom?

You can celebrate the Lunar New Year on Zoom in much the same way you would in person. Pick out some fun activities to usher in the new year — like making boba tea or learning Chinese calligraphy — and join via Zoom. You can also have everyone wear red — a lucky color according to Chinese tradition — and host a Zoom celebration.

Is Lunar New Year and Chinese New Year the same thing?

Lunar New Year and Chinese New Year refer to the same holiday. The former term is used because it's more inclusive — many other countries and cultures celebrate the holiday, not just China.

How do you celebrate the Lunar New Year at work?

If your team is remote, you can celebrate the Lunar New Year with a virtual happy hour or a class inspired by Lunar New Year traditions.