15/02/2026

ON SUNDAY February 15, 2026 theSunday Special IV Celebrating the creative spirit of Chinese New Year

BY HANNEF ESQUANDER

How tradition, creativity and personal meaning shape the festive celebrations today

H DQ ORYHV ZRUNLQJ ZLWK ÀRZHUV RU SODQW elements as they symbolise continuous growth and new hope. These are perfectly aligned with the idea of “new year, new PH´ 2QH RI +DQ¶V IDYRXULWH ÀRZHU PRWLIV to use is the peony, as it symbolises the season of spring and prosperity. The Han family makes it a point to create a to-do list in preparation for the Chinese New Year. The list includes items such as cleaning the house, decorating the space and creating DIY ornaments. This list helped nurture Han’s interest in crafting. From simply making paper Chinese New Year ornaments, he has now made a career out of it. Of course, red is the signature shade for Chinese New Year. Han loves to take it up a notch with a mixture of earth tones and Morandi colours such as vermilion. These colours evoke a sense of comfort and blend well with the environment. He steers away from striking colours, preferring his work to bring comfort, calm and cosiness to a space. “First, understand your preferred décor style. If your style leans more towards modern and minimal, opt for earth-toned or Morandi-coloured décor with minimal detailing. If you are a maximalist and love statement pieces, you may choose sharp, striking red elements with some gold décor and sparkly detailing. Add some symbolic Chinese New Year patterns such as peonies for prosperity and persimmons for a smooth-sailing year ahead,” he suggested.

The Chinese New Year is not just a season of gathering but also a significant

chance for us to relax and recharge.”

Han

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T HE festive season is upon us. Preparation is in full swing. Everybody is excited, making sure this year’s celebration will be the most memorable and perfectly planned. Chinese New Year will turn everything red for a while. From shopping mall concourses and lanterns on the streets to electronic billboards and the front doors of houses, there is no escaping the celebratory spirit. With weeks or even months of prepa ration, Chinese New Year is all about WUDGLWLRQ 7KH DQJSRZV DQG ¿UHFUDFNHUV are just the tip of the iceberg. There are creative experts behind the decorations and oriental cuisine. One of them is James Han, a papercut ting and glass painting artist. Han has been doing this since 2014. He started with papercutting before taking on glass painting a few years later. He is now a full-time artist, turning his passion for craft into a career.

“For me, Chinese New Year is not just a season of gathering but also a very impor tant chance for us to relax and recharge. , DP QRW SDUWLFXODUO\ D VRFLDO EXWWHUÀ\ so I would rather spend time celebrating at home with my family and relax with a good book or draw some sketches to get inspiration for my art,” Han said. To get into the right creative mindset before working on a Chinese New Year– inspired piece, Han will ask himself a few questions: What is his biggest wish for the new year, what to look forward to, what LV WKH PRVW H̆ HFWLYH ZD\ WR LQFRUSRUDWH the zodiac of the year and what message he wishes to deliver through the artwork. “This year, for instance, I was aim ing for a restart and wished to be more energetic, so I made a hanging ornament with a running horse motif. I even crafted a special edition ornament for this Chinese New Year. It is based on the Daruma doll, which symbolises strength and passion,” Han explained.

Chinese New Year is a time of renewal, gratitude and new beginnings.”

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