On the evening of 18th February, 80 Society members and friends celebrated the arrival of Chinese New Year – the Year of the Fire Horse – at festively decorated Peacock London on the south bank of the River Thames, overlooking the iconic Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament.
Many guests wore a touch of red – a festival colour that is associated with good fortune and prosperity in Chinese culture. Each guest also received a red envelope with a golden horse on the cover. Giving out red envelopes containing money to spread blessings is a traditional part of Chinese new year celebration. On this occasion, magnetic bookmarks of horse designs are inside those red envelopes as a symbolic gesture of spreading good fortune in the year of the fire horse.
During dinner, guests shared a variety of small plates across different types of vegetables, meat and seafood. Those purposely selected dishes carry symbolic meanings of prosperity, wealth, strength and harmony for the year ahead. 2026 is designated to be a year of immense success as the horse symbolises strength, energy, endurance and unstoppable momentum. We are encouraged to gallop forward with confidence and bold ambitions. Fascinating conversations ranging from cultural significance of a new year celebration to the latest hot topics of artificial intelligence were exchanged at the dinner tables as guests tasted the food, reconnected with old friends, and met with new ones.
Moreover, there were prize draws during the evening. Seven lucky winners took home prizes from restaurant vouchers to a teapot set to Apple airpods. The dinner event wrapped up by 10pm, concluding a wonderful evening of celebrating the arrival of a new year full of potential.
May 2026 bring us good health, good fortunate and lots of joy.
Organised by Cinney Zhang
