GIFTS TO BRING GOOD FORTUNE AND LUCK

As any seasoned gift giver can vouch, when tradition is at stake, it can be daunting to bust outside the giving box and select an item that perfectly melds long-established, go-to favourites with current, must-have options. Fret not: these suggestions for the unexpected do just that. Clothing in Shades of Red and/or Gold According to Shirley Lum, a fourthgeneration Canadian-born-Chinese person and owner of A Taste of the World Tours, though clothing isn’t necessarily a typical gift given to celebrate the Lunar New Year, items in shades of red and/or gold would be a safe bet for kids and young, unmarried adults. “Each colour has its own significance — red represents the hope for good luck in the year to come, and gold or yellow represents the hope for money,” she says. Buy it: Canada Goose Ladies Lorette Parka, $950, canadagoose.com Anything Adorned with a Rooster With 2017 being the Year of the Rooster, all things related are deemed worthy of giving. Lum says mugs, related dishware and stuffed animals tend to be perennial gifting favourites, but for a change of pace, she suggests veering in another direction. Buy it: 2017 $15 Pure Silver Coin — Year of the Rooster, $101.88, canadapost.ca Specialized Chocolate Though it’s not the standard gift choice for Chinese New Year, if you do decide to give chocolate, keep in mind that not all variations are apropos. “The main factors to remember are the colour and shape of the choc- olates,” says Lum. “For example, you wouldn’t gift someone a box of solid white chocolates because it would be considered taboo.” A better option: Varieties of dark or white chocolate with gold or orange shades incorporated, and those in the shape of a peanut (in Cantonese, peanut phonetically sounds like ‘grow your fortune’), an antique or gold coin to represent your hope that they grow in wealth, or a fish, which symbolizes growth and surpluses. Buy it: Purdy’s Gold Coins, $8.50, purdys.com Prosperity Pouches Though Lai See, the ubiquitous red envelopes adorned with gold letters, messages of prosperity and Chinese symbols remain wildly popular, red fabric pouches are becoming trendy. Buy it: Year of the Rooster Change Purse, $49.50, zazzle.ca