China News Agency, Beijing, January 26 (Reporter Liu Likun) In Chinese tradition, the Lunar New Year is the most important festival of the year, and it is also a day to put down work and have a good rest.
But for some people, the Spring Festival is the busiest time of the year.
From one month before the Spring Festival, Li Xiuxuan, president of the Argentine Catering and Food Industry Association, has been busy in and out, delivering New Year’s Eve dinners to the widowed and lonely elderly, and providing food stall support for the New Year’s activities.
"Now the epidemic is starting to improve, and the catering industry is gradually recovering. Everyone's investment is very positive." Li Xiuxuan told reporters.
Chinese New Year is the busiest time for the catering industry.
According to Li Xiuxuan, during the Spring Festival, traditional Chinese dishes are the most popular among customers, such as Peking duck, Guangdong roast duck, braised pork with preserved vegetables, squirrel mandarin fish, etc.
In addition, special dishes such as lobster and Fuego king crab are also popular.
"In the past, Chinese food in Argentina was limited to Chinese fast food such as dumplings and fried noodles. After the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, Chinese food in Argentina began to become more diverse." Li Xiuxuan said.
Li Xiuxuan told reporters that he has been engaged in the catering industry in Argentina for more than 20 years. In recent years, the atmosphere of the Spring Festival in Argentina has become more and more intense, and the acceptance of Chinese food has also become higher and higher.
"Every New Year's Eve, every Chinese restaurant is full, and more people start to pay attention to the Chinese New Year."
On Jonker Street in Malacca, Malaysia, the giant mascot "Year of the Rabbit", which represents the Year of the Rabbit, is alive and well.
In order to provide design and construction support for the "Year of the Rabbit", Li Chuancai and his advertising design company started preparations early.
"We are responsible for the annual layout of the Jonker Street Culture Square, including setting up the zodiac mascot, hanging lanterns and red silk, etc. All the details must be taken care of." Li Chuancai said, "The Year of the Rabbit" took three years from design to completion. It took more than a month to communicate with all parties repeatedly, and the construction also took more than a month.
"This process is tiring, but very happy." Li Chuancai said.
Li Chuancai is a third-generation Chinese who has been fond of traditional Chinese designs since he was a child.
"When I was young, I was very interested in wanzi borders, stone carvings, paper-cutting, etc. Later, I started a company and helped the old Chinese neighborhoods decorate the scenery every Spring Festival." Li Chuancai said, "Compared with when I was a child, the layout of the Spring Festival is very different now. It is rich, and young people also like to check in and take pictures, which is very important for the overseas inheritance of Chinese traditional culture.”
Mei Hong, head of a Chinese supermarket in Kenya, said that this year’s Spring Festival business is booming, and gift boxes for new year’s goods are very popular. “Now people are walking around more, and Chinese tea and wine are selling well. Many of our customers have self-operated businesses.” 'Gong Xi Fa Cai' couplets are also very popular."
Having been in Kenya for 23 years, Mei Hong runs the largest Chinese supermarket in the local area, with 3,000 to 4,000 registered members.
"We usually take breaks, but during the Chinese New Year it is very busy, and all the staff are on duty." Mei Hong said that some customers are inconvenient to shop offline, and the supermarket has also opened an offline delivery service.
In addition to the local business of supermarkets, Mei Hong also acts as a liquor agent in East Africa.
"I import Chinese wine to Africa, and then export South African red wine to China." Mei Hong said that Chinese people drink alcohol during Chinese New Year and often give wine as gifts, so Chinese New Year is also her busiest time.
"This year is a special year, and everyone hopes to celebrate it well." Mei Hong said that everyone is used to making New Year's wishes during the New Year, and I believe that everything will be better next year.
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