Good evening. Tonight we’ve handpicked gifts to celebrate Lunar New Year. Plus:
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| Ruthie Darling/NYT Wirecutter; illustration by Con McHugh for NYT Wirecutter |
13 gifts to celebrate the Year of the Horse |
 | By Ellen Lee Ellen Lee is a staff writer at Wirecutter. She’s always wearing a little bit of red for luck. |
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There’s a Chinese rhyme I learned as a child. It loosely translates to: “May you have a happy and prosperous new year! Give me a red envelope!” Every year, I’d recite it, then collect my red envelopes full of cold, hard cash — and hoard them like Scrooge McDuck. Truth is, the best Lunar New Year gift will always be crisp bills tucked inside a red envelope.
Now as an adult, the little ones hit me up for red envelopes with that same rhyme. And while I always make sure to give a little cash, I’ve been delighted to find more to give, too. From jewelry to sweets to toys, these gifts have expanded how I celebrate Lunar New Year with my family and friends.
We still practice long-held traditions like eating a lot of delicious food and sweeping out the past year’s bad vibes to make room for good luck. But this year I’ll also be ringing in the Year of the Horse on Feb. 17 with an assortment of small treats.
Whether you go big every year — or you’ve never celebrated before — join me in delighting over these tokens. Any of them would make for a lovely birthday gift or just-because February treat, too:
- Sweets, like oranges and persimmons, symbolize a sweet, lucky new year. I’m personally partial to candy, which is why I was drawn to this elaborate zodiac gummy sampler. The beautiful red box is accented with shiny gold, and the peach blossom in the center spins to reveal the designated years for each of the 12 animals. Nestled inside are tiny boxes with a sampling of candies, in flavors like passionfruit and pineapple.
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- It’s a tradition to start the year with fresh new clothes, preferably in lucky red. One of our style experts’ favorite sock brands has this dragon design, which is elaborate, sheer, and gorgeous. I also recommend gifting or stocking up on red underwear for good luck, especially if you or the recipient happen to be born in the Year of the Horse. Like many Wirecutter experts, I personally turned to this ultra-comfortable pair, which is soft, surprisingly chic, and comes in several shades of red and pink.
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- While jade and gold are tradition, I was charmed by this collection of gold-plated necklaces and bracelets with delicate porcelain charms for each animal of the Chinese zodiac. (Of course, gold-plated jewelry is prone to tarnish, so best to stay away from everyday wear.) I also cooed over this entire whimsical line, especially the acrylic earrings, which make a bold, fun statement.
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- Several Wirecutter journalists adore Jellycat’s soft plushies, and I was excited that they rolled out a special-edition horse, which is appropriately red with a gold mane and hooves. There are also these equally charming, intricately hand-painted mini horse figurines. If your child has an American Girl doll (or a similarly sized doll), it can be attired in this precious outfit, complete with a tiny red envelope accessory.
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- This Lego money tree, with its mini tangerines and red envelopes dangling from its branches, has become part of my family’s tradition. (It’s low stock, so don’t dillydally.) This year, we’re adding this cute Lucky Cat to the mix. While it’s technically of Japanese origin and not one of the 12 animals in the Chinese zodiac, it’s meant to “beckon” good luck. The Lego version’s paw even swings, like the ones you see in restaurants.
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More joy-sparking gifts for February festivities |
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What to give: Multi-generational friends abroad? |  |
My husband and I are traveling to Denmark and will be visiting several generations of family friends, ranging in age from 4 months to 66 years. We need ideas for small gifts we could bring in our carry-on luggage. — B.B.
From gifting expert Mari Uyehara:
For fun-loving families with tweens and younger, consider this dance-party button that plays 30 seconds of upbeat music when you press it. It’s great for getting out the wiggles or a quickie homework break. These cutesy temporary tattoos are a cut above their cheaper counterparts, with long-lasting saturated colors and shiny metallics. And these see-through miniature puzzles are quick to put together and will enchant any Studio Ghibli fans.
On the more adult end of things, these teensy vases come in five different hues and sizes and look like a little art display once arranged. And your loved ones can pin their burning desires on these whisper-thin wish bracelets, which purportedly grant wishes when they fall off. I’m personally a fan of these silly-looking pot holders shaped like bow-tie pasta — they don’t take up much counter space and are just right for grabbing lids off simmering pots.
Have someone who’s impossible to shop for? Submit your question here.
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 | Gift of the week: Gorgeous (and timely!) flowers for Valentine’s DayOf the more than a dozen we’ve tested, only one flower delivery service has regularly met our standards for reliability, longevity, and a crowd-pleasing assortment of stylish bouquets. |
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One last gift (for you): Our experts call these hand-stitched suede ankle booties “a cozy-winter-cabin retreat for your feet” — and they’re on sale right now.
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