Chinese New Year, also known as Spring Festival, is a time people most look forward to and yet is also the busiest time of the year. Some locals may begin to prepare for the festival as early as just after Mid-Autumn Festival.

When it comes to shopping for necessities, although online shopping is very popular now, many people would still recommend going to Bo’ai South Road for the full Chinese New Year experience.

This is where you can find everything you need for the festival. Spring Festival couplets, red lanterns, electronic firecrackers, Chinese knots, red envelopes, orange trees, dried seafood, preserved sausages, candy, and other snacks are all available on the street, making it the perfect place for convenient, one-stop shopping!

(Photo credit: www. hkwb.net)

(Photo credit: www. hkwb.net)

(Photo by Wang Chengxian / Hinews)

(Photo by Wang Chengxian / Hinews)

Besides red decorations and food, many locals are also hoping to pick up flowers and other plants to decorate their houses during the festival. Common choices include Hedge Bamboo, Butterfly Orchids, Money Trees, Lucky Bamboo, and orange trees, which all symbolize different new year wishes. 

Butterfly Orchids with little red lanterns hanging on their stems at a flower fair held at Hainan Flower World. The fair will last until January 31^st. ZHANG MAO / HAINAN DAILY

Orange trees are commonly seen as decorations for the Chinese New Year in Haikou, and express wishes for happiness and prosperity in the coming year, as “tangerine” sounds similar to the word “wealth” in mandarin. ZHANG MAO / HAINAN DAILY

Locals picking flowers at a flower market held at Nⁿ Park, which is scheduled to last until January 28^th. SU BIKUN / HAIKOU DAILY