Happy Lunar New Year! It’s time to celebrate the Year of the Dragon in 2024.
Photo courtesy of Panda Express
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For nearly 40 years, Panda Express has invited customers to celebrate the Lunar New Year with good food and good fortune. To continue the tradition, the Chinese restaurant chain is handing out more than one million red envelopes in 2022.
The Lunar New Year is marked by the tradition of giving a red envelope filled with money to friends and family. The envelopes symbolize good wishes and luck for the coming year.
On February 1, 2022, you can stop by any participating Panda Express location to pick up a red envelope — no purchase is required.
So what’s in the red envelope?
This year, you’ll find two coupons — one for $5 off a Family Meal and another for a FREE 22-oz. fountain drink, no purchase required. Each coupon expires April 1, 2022, so you’ll have plenty of time to use them.
In addition, the envelope contains a collectible fortune card inspired by Panda Express’ signature lucky dishes.
There is a limit of one coupon per person, per visit. Each single-use coupon must be presented in-restaurant upon redemption. The coupons are only valid at participating locations, while supplies last.
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- FREE lantern shows and a 90-ft dragon at Atlantic Station for Lunar New Year
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Panda Express family meal bundles
Celebrating Lunar New Year with family and friends?
A Panda Express customizable Family Meal is perfect for get-togethers.
Plus, the various dishes have special symbolism for the New Year. From orange chicken (orange for prosperity), honey walnut shrimp (representing happiness), chow mein (symbolizing longevity), and egg rolls (resembling wealth), there are countless ways to ensure everyone at the celebration is happy and well-fed.
Some Fun Facts about the New Year Red Envelope
- The red color symbolizes good luck and prosperity in many East Asian cultures.
- The red envelope is called hóngbāo.
- Red envelopes are given to children, friends, family, colleagues and relatives.
- Only clean, crisp notes should be put into a red envelope. There are often long lines at banks as people line up to exchange their old bills for new ones.
- These days many people exchange digital red envelopes instead, with money that can be transferred to the recipients accounts, via their smartphones.
- It’s bad luck to give any denomination that includes the number 4, but good luck to include the number 8.
- Traditionally children kneel to receive their red envelope from older family members.
- Red envelopes are given and received with both hands.
- Red envelopes are not opened in the presence of the giver.
Fun Facts about the Chinese New Year
- The holiday is more appropriately called the Lunar New Year because it is celebrated in Asian countries other than China.
- The festival date changes every year, because it’s based on the movement of the moon. Usually, it falls on a day between mid-January and mid-February.
- The lunar new year starts a new animal’s zodiac sign. The 12 animals are: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Sheep, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and Pig. (2019 is the Year of the Pig.)
- Instead of wrapped gifts that western nationalities give at Christmas, children get red envelopes stuffed with lucky money.
- Lunar New Year is the largest use of fireworks in the world. The firecrackers are supposed to scare off monsters and bad luck. People stay up and set off firecrackers at midnight on the eve of the celebration. In the morning, they use firecrackers again to welcome the new year and good luck.
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