Prices are accurate at the time of publication.
When you buy through our links, Insider may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more.
Lazo Smiljanic/Getty Images
February 1 marks the Lunar New Year, an auspicious time for many people.
We’ve rounded up an assortment of fun gift recommendations to help you mark the year of the tiger.
Check out all of our gift guides for more ideas.
Still looking for a gift? See our list of the All-Time Best products we’ve ever tested.
In 2022, the Lunar New Year falls on February 1, transitioning from the year of the ox to the tiger. For observers, it’s traditionally celebrated with family reunions and dinners, if it’s safe to do so. While it’s often called the Chinese New Year, the occasion is also celebrated by Koreans (Seollal), Vietnamese (Tet), Tibetans (Losar), Mongolians (Tsagaan Sar), and others. There may be cultural differences, but they all share similar values and anybody can take part.
Gifting tends to revolve around small meaningful items, such as fruit (oranges, in particular) and candy. There’s also the giving of money-filled red envelopes, often from adults to children, which signify the bestowing of good fortune. Even if you don’t celebrate, we’ve curated a list of fun gifts — from affordable sweets to luxury indulgences — to mark the year of the tiger.
Here are the 14 best Lunar New Year gifts:
Cook an authentic meal
Amazon
“Every Grain of Rice” by Fuchsia Dunlop, from $24.99, available at Amazon and Bookshop
“Vietnamese Food Any Day” by Andrea Nguyen, from $14.99, available at Amazon and Bookshop
“Korean Home Cooking” by Sohui Kim, from $20.05, available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble
Asian families who celebrate the Lunar New Year will cook big meals at home. Make a few authentic dishes using recipes from one of these terrific books on Asian cookery.
Mickey and Minnie in their Lunar New Year garb
Shop Disney
Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse Lunar New Year 2022 Plushes, $29.99, available at Shop Disney
For hardcore Disney fans, grab these two plushes and add them to your collection.
Add a lucky plant to your home
The Sill
Money Plant, $38, available at The Sill
Even if you aren’t planning a celebration you can still partake in some low-key traditions, like growing a Chinese money plant, also known as pilea peperomioides.
Eat plenty of dumplings for prosperity and noodles for longevity
Goldbelly
Dumplings and Noodles, from $55, available at Goldbelly
Dumplings (jiaoxi in Mandarin Chinese) are eaten during Chinese New Year because they symbolize wealth (they’re reminiscent of gold ingots used in imperial China). Get them from some of the best dumpling restaurants in the country. And while you’re at it, pair them with some noodles, which represent a long life ahead.
A gin from Vietnam to toast to Tet
Sông Cái Distillery
Sông Cái Dry Gin, $35.99, available at Sông Cái Distillery
A gin made from heirloom Vietnamese ingredients and distillery equipment, Sông Cái offers a spirit that’s uniquely different from traditional gin. It’s a great way to ring in Tet.
Gifts (Reviews), Reviews, Gifts, gifts for her, gifts for him, Gifts for Everyone, Lunar New Year, Insider Reviews 2022, Insider Picks, Insider Picks Gift Guides, Non-Affiliate
All Content from Business Insider
