The Lantern Festival Chap Goh Mei

Chap Goh Mei, the fifteenth day of the Chinese New Year, marks the end of the festive period and is a celebration of love, hope, and the first full moon of the lunar year. While the preceding days are filled with boisterous family gatherings and firecrackers, Chap Goh Mei offers a more romantic and serene atmosphere. Often referred to as the "Chinese Valentine's Day, " it's a beautiful culmination of the New Year festivities.



In the ancient Chinese Traditions, family reunite and offer prayer for a prosperous year. Another side, it also a "Chinese Valentine Day" where unmarried women and men will venture out to the temples and public spaces, hope can catch the potential admire.

One of the most charming traditions associated with Chap Goh Mei is the tossing of mandarin oranges into the sea or river. Unmarried women would write their names and contact details on a mandarin orange and toss it into the water, hoping that their future husband would find it. Unmarried Men will at the river bed would collect the oranges, and if interested, would contact the woman. As these evolved to the modern societies, where oranges being tossed into designated collection points so it simplified and make more sense not to go to riverbed to collect and also reduce the wastages.

The name "Chap Goh Mei" itself translates to "fifteenth night," highlighting the importance of the full moon. Lanterns, often intricately designed and brightly coloured, illuminate the night sky, creating a magical ambiance. These lanterns symbolize hope, good fortune, and the shedding of the old year's misfortunes. Walking through lantern-lit streets or participating in lantern-making activities is a popular way to celebrate Chap Goh Mei.

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