Five exciting ways to prep for Lunar New Year in Markham

The plethora of red and gold signage, mandarin oranges and peach blossoms taking over grocery stores and restaurants can only mean one thing: Lunar New Year is coming. This time of year is often also signalled by a trip to the airport, so families can revel and reunite for the biggest holiday in the Lunar calendar. Since we can’t travel right now, there are luckily a bevy of specialty shops right in Markham — an area that is typically home to many of the GTA’s most lavish New Year performances — so you can feel like you’re pulling out all the stops even while celebrating at home. And after a tough 2020, we can all use a little extra luck for the Year of the Ox.

Assemble some sweets

Check out long-standing favourite Ding Dong Exotic Sweet boutique inside the sweeping Pacific Mall to load up on bulk traditional sweets. It’s the perfect spot to stock your “Tray of Togetherness,” which is generally made up of six to eight compartments filled with candies, seeds and nuts that are intended to be symbolic of what you and your family want to achieve in the coming year. Pistachios call for happiness, for example, while gold chocolate coins for good fortune. Just make sure to pick up some treats you can often only find in Asia, like special flavours of Kit Kat, Lay’s and Pocky. 4300 Steeles Ave. E. Unit c70

Load up on dried seafood

On New Year’s Eve, it’s traditional to enjoy a big luxurious feast — often including “Poon Choi,” a festival meal composed of simmering ingredients that hold auspicious meanings. Though the recipe differs from family to family, popular ingredients like dried abalone, sea cucumber, fish maw, dried oysters, and black moss or algae are available at Shing Hing Food, one of Canada’s most popular shops for high-quality dried food and Asian delicacies, like herbs, ginseng, and traditional soup mixes. Unit 171-175 3255 Highway 7 E.

Order lucky takeout

For those who want a break from cooking this holiday, there’s Providential 9, a restaurant that serves up traditional and nourishing dishes, like fish that symbolizes an abundance of riches, e-fu noodles (or better known as longevity noodles) and a full chicken (head and all) to represent togetherness. Best of all, you can easily order your lucky dishes on the restaurant’s website. 8425 Woodbine Ave., Unit A

Stock up on cakes

Sweet rice cake and radish cake are also commonly enjoyed during the festival because the former symbolizes growth, while the latter carries fortuitous meanings. Popular dim sum spot Casa Victoria Fine Dining and Banquet prepares these dishes in a tin case for takeout, so call to preorder, then pan-fry them at home to enjoy for brunch. 8601 Warden Ave. Unit 4-6, Unionville, ON

Get ready to decorate

Although it may look like a small boutique in New Kennedy Square, New Far East Worshipping Specialty Store has everything you might need to decorate for Lunar New Year — from lucky red pockets for children to worshipping materials and festive signs so you can attract good luck for the year ahead. 8360 Kennedy Rd., Unit 43, Unionville, ON