[row][span2][/span2][span10]
Kicking off the Chinese New Year
Sunday, February 10, 2013, marked the entrance of the year of the Snake according to the Chinese zodiac calendar. The public holiday, usually lasting for two to three days is not only a time for families to be together but also for businesses to offer well wishes to clients. As you choose how to use Chinese New Year to your advantage, here are four things to keep in mind.
1. Closings
Businesses celebrating Chinese New Year, in China as well as in America, are likely to be closed from Sunday February 10th to Tuesday February 12th. As a note, many businesses may stay closed longer with no warning. If you source materials or have projects running in China, be aware that extending deadlines may be the way to maintain sanity.
2. Cards
Unlike with the American celebration of the New Year, which normally culminates on the night of January 31st, you have a whole month to send your Chinese New Year well wishes. This could be a great time to form some useful networks and make contacts by sending New Year’s greetings.
3. Customers
Chinese New Year is the time of year for gift giving and celebration. As such, this is the quarter in which many Chinese customers spend. Since Chinese New Year falls so close to Valentine’s Day this year, one business in China that specializes in boyfriend rentals, has reported a rise in new customers. One would do well to use this holiday as a way to court new customers.
4. “Chunyun”
Also known as “homecoming,” Chunyun is the busiest travel season in the world and has been dubbed the largest annual migration. This is important to keep in mind for a myriad of reasons.
- Many Chinese-born, US employees may be requesting time off
- Other businesses may be slow to respond
- A greater need for temporary workers in China during this time
Wishing you a happy, healthy and prosperous Year of the Snake!
