Gong Xi Fa Cai! It’s time to break out the yu sheng and usher in the Year of the Goat. If you’re planning to stay in Singapore this Chinese New Year, you’ll have a wide variety of things to see and do, from the River Hongbao to martial arts lessons.

Head over to Chinatown for the luminous street light-up, or check out the Chingay Parade from 27-28 February at the F1 Pit Building next to the Singapore Flyer for an extravaganza of lavishly decorated floats, cavorting dragons and stilt walkers.

The River Hongbao is another spectacular festive display, with hand-crafted lanterns featuring Chinese mythology, demonstrations of Chinese calligraphy, opera and street performances, handicraft and jewellery stalls, an enormous outdoor food street, and the Chinese New Year Eve countdown party, which will have fireworks galore. The River Hongbao will be at the Floating Platform at Marina Bay from 17–28 February, so catch it while you can!

If you’re still feeling the Chinese New Year spirit and you’re wondering what to do with it, you’re in luck: There’s tons to do in Singapore this Chinese New Year. Go behind the scenes of Chinese Lion Dance as you get embedded with a lion dance troupe for a day. Learn about the history and culture of lion dance and witness a lion dance troupe training session firsthand. You even get to paint your own miniature lion head to take home with you!

Have you always wondered how calligraphy artists turn out those perfect, elegant strokes? With the Chinese calligraphy appreciation workshop, you can learn how the magic happens and try your hand at it as well. During the workshop, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of the aesthetic function of Chinese calligraphy and you’ll also get to create your very own piece of calligraphy – and yes, you can keep it as a souvenir.

Tea appreciation is a great way to spend the afternoon if you want a break from chomping on love letters and endless questions about why you’re not married yet. The Fragrance and Aroma tea appreciation session will introduce you to the finer points of tea drinking, such as factors like temperature, bubbles in the teapot, and even the correct type of teapot to use. You’ll sample teas such as The Queen’s Tea, Imperial Golden Cassia, and Jasmine Pearls while learning about different styles of tea presentation. You’ll also enjoy cookies and tea eggs that complement the tea served during this session. Yum!

Long before there were loom bands, there were Chinese knots. Try your hand at creating these intricate, beautiful knots which can be made into key chains, bracelets and even earrings! During the Chinese knot-making workshop, you’ll start by learning basic techniques. After that, you’ll have the chance to create your own design or experiment with more complex types of knots. The workshop lasts one hour, so you have plenty of time left in the day to hurry back to your spicy shrimp rolls before your siblings eat them all up.

If you’re looking for an active and unique way to spend time over Chinese New Year, or you’re interested in martial arts, the Wing Chun martial arts lesson is perfect for you. During this two-hour session, you’ll learn techniques including first form, chi-sau, second form, third form, wooden dummy, and zhineng qigong as well as the philosophy behind Ip Man’s teachings.

For a more laid-back way to while away the Chinese New Year break, check out the after-dark boat ride and night adventure: you’ll start with dinner, followed by an open-top double decker bus ride past the Gardens by the Bay and the street market of Bugis, and lastly, a boat ride to top off the evening.

Unleash your inner shopaholic with the 3-hour Chinatown sightseeing and shopping tour! Wander through the bustling, buzzing streets of Chinatown and learn about the traditions of Chinese New Year from a Singaporean Chinese guide. Feast on piping hot street snacks and buy Chinese New Year goodies and souvenirs while you traipse around Chinatown.  Your guide will regale you with interesting stories and anecdotes as you shop to your heart’s content.

Singapore has so many fun and unique Chinese New Year events and activities this year that you’re spoilt for choice. On that note, BeMyGuest would like to wish everyone a happy and prosperous Chinese New Year!

(We have strived to keep this post free of awful Chinese New Year/goat-related puns, for the sake of your sanity.)