Lunar New Year ideas

Lunar New Year company dinner ideas: lucky draw, ang pao and games

A Lunar New Year dinner is the year’s biggest company night in much of Asia, and a favourite with teams around the world. Here is how to plan it: the running order, the lucky draw, red packets, the yee sang toss and games that suit a round-table banquet.

Plan it around the courses

A Lunar New Year banquet usually has eight or nine courses, each with a lucky meaning, served to round tables of ten. The night works best when every activity sits in a gap between courses, not on top of one.

Doors and arrival: photos, red-packet games and the welcome.
First course: the yee sang toss, where everyone stands and tosses together.
Between courses: one short activity each, five minutes or less.
Before dessert: the lucky draw, with the biggest prizes last.

1. The lucky draw

The centre of the night. Prizes in eights are a favourite (8 is the lucky number), and many companies give red packets of cash as the smaller prizes.

Put the whole staff list in before the night, so nobody has to queue for a ticket.
Draw by prize: twenty ang pao first, then vouchers, then the grand prize.
Show the names rolling on the big screen in red and gold, so the room watches each one land.
Agree what happens when a winner has left: draw again on the spot.

2. Ang pao rain

Red packets rain over the big screen for twenty seconds while every guest taps on their phone to catch them. Some hold a prize. Winners show the code on their phone at the prize counter. It is fast, everyone plays and it suits the night perfectly.

3. Zodiac quiz

Five questions on the year's animal and the traditions of the season, then a round about your company.

Which animal comes first in the Chinese zodiac? The rat.
What colour is believed to scare away the monster Nian? Red.
Mandarin oranges are given in pairs because they sound like which word? Gold, or good luck.

4. Best Dressed in cheongsam, baju or batik

Ask guests to come in traditional dress from any culture, or in red. The room votes on their phones, and the nominees race up the screen. Categories like best cheongsam, best couple and best team look keep it fun.

5. Wishes wall

Guests send a photo and a New Year wish. They play on the screen through dinner, and you have a full album when the night ends.

6. Spin the wheel for the boss

A wheel of forfeits and gifts for the management table: sing a line of a New Year song, give out extra ang pao, or pose for a photo with the lion dance.

Prize ideas

Red packets of 88, 168 or 888 in your local currency
Gold coins or a small gold bar for the grand prize
Hampers, mandarin oranges and festive goodies
Extra days of leave, always one of the most popular prizes
Travel vouchers and the latest phone or game console

Try it free

Set up the lucky draw, the ang pao rain and the quiz in Yaypick and rehearse with up to 20 people for free. On the night it all runs from one event and one code.