The Best Lunar New Year’s Gifts for Everyone, From Luxe Fashion and Beauty to Sweet Treats and More
Celebrate the Year of the Dragon with these fashion, beauty, food and travel gifts, including many from AAPI designers, retailers and brands.
Clockwise from left: Aupen bag, Kate Spade ring, Disney plush, MìLà frozen dumplings, Diptyque fragrance
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The Lunar New Year starts Sunday, Feb. 10 — marking another chance to start 2024 on the right foot. Commonly observed in China, Korea, Japan, Vietnam, Mongolia and other Asian countries, celebrations commemorate a the new lunisolar calendar year and typically involves gifts of money in red envelopes and food that symbolize good fortune.
Since 2024 is the year of the wood dragon (which represents good luck, strength, wisdom and health) in the Chinese zodiac calendar, gifts that symbolize the mythical creature will be the most popular to give and receive. Ahead, we’ve rounded up the best Lunar New Year 2024 gifts from online Asian grocery stores and boutiques like Umami Cart, Chop Suey Club and Pearl River Mart, as well as our favorite fashion, beauty and gift-ready finds from Sephora, Nordstrom, Target and other retailers, including items from Asian-owned brands.
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MìLà Soup Dumpling Experience Bundle
Counting Barbie star Simu Liu as investor and chief content officer, “Asian parent-approved” Chinese food brand MìLà’s frozen soup dumpling bundle brings the dim sum experience straight to your dinner table. The company just launched pho beef dumplings that are ready to eat after just 10 minutes in the steamer.
Lego Auspicious Dragon Building Set
Lego’s Lunar New Year-inspired
Auspicious Dragon building set is the perfect activity for bonding time at friends and family gatherings.
Diptyque L’eau Paier Eau de Toilette
Diptyque’s limited-edition L’eau Papier eau de toilette boasts notes of white musks, mimosa, and blond wood and rice stream accords, and comes in a reimagined bottle and box by artist Ao Hei.
Pink Moon Head-to-Toe Gua Sha Set
Founded by sustainable beauty and wellness industry veteran Lin Chen, Pink Moon is inspired by her upbringing with ancient holistic practices, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), astrology and reiki. The brand’s three-piece head-to-toe gua sha set will help kickstart beauty lovers’ self-care routine in the new year with the rose quartz facial and body massage tool, the Over the Moon facial oil and the Midnight Melody body and hair oil.
Aupen Fearless Re-Edition Bag
After launching only 15 months ago, modern accesories brand Aupen swiftly landed on the arms of Taylor Swift, Hailey Bieber, Olivia Rodrigo and Bella Hadid (to name just a few stars). Its assymetrical Fearless Re-Edition bag in Rouge makes the perfect stylish gift for Lunar New Year and beyond.
Ming Yu Wang Zhu Necklace
New York-based designer Ming Yu Wang’s handmade Zhu (珠) necklace features jade beads and freshwater pearls, which represent wisdom, spiritual energy and power. (The piece’s name is inspired by the pearl held by dragons seen in ancient Chinese art.)
Disney Figment Fig-Clair Munchlings Plush (EPCOT Festival of the Arts Edition)
Disney’s Lunar New Year collection ($10-98) includes Year of the Dragon-inspired mini backpacks, cardholders, tees, sweaters, mugs, plushes and more. From classic red Mickey and Minnie merch to Figment from EPCOT’s Imagination! pavilion, there’s something for all Disney devotees.
Din Tai Fung Steamed Bun Sampler, 24-Pack
If you’re short on time (or are treating a foodie), Goldbelly’s Lunar New Year offerings make it easy to order delicious food from your favorite restaurants, from West Hollywood’s Dumping Monster and New York’s Nom Wah to Din Tai Fung.
Polo Ralph Lauren Lunar New Year Cotton Poplin Bomber Jacket
Ralph Lauren’s sporty-edgy poplin bomber jacket makes a fiery statement with an embroidered dragon on the back.
The Fruit Company New Year’s Celebration Box
Created especially for Lunar New Year celebrations, Oregon-based The Fruit Company’s decadent gift box is packed with blood and cara cara navel oragnes, Honeycrisp apples, pomegranats and a dark chocolate blood orange caramel bar. Plus, save $20 off with code CELEBRATE24.
Reprise Lunar New Year Longevity Set
One of the best Lunar New Year gifts for those who want to dip their toes into TCM, Reprise’s Longevity set pairs the Super Focus ginseng reishi gummies and the Goji Berry gummies to support natural energy, focus, brain health, immunity and metabolism.
Mondo Llama Make Your Own Lunar New Year Dragon Streamer Kit
Part of Target’s Lunar New Year collection designed by China-born, New York-based illustrator Yiran Xia, this fun make-your-own dragon streamer kit will keep kids (and grown-ups) busy alike at your Year of the Dragon gatherings.
Chop Suey Club LNY Woven Tote Bag
Retrofuturism-inspired NYC creative collective Chop Suey Club’s cool woven tote bags (available in a variety of playful designs) bring some fun to your grocery runs and everyday errands.
Clinique Lunar New Year Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel
Moisturized and hydrated skin all winter awaits with Clinique’s Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel (in a chic Lunar New Year-inspired bottle), which is infused with nourishing sunflower seed, barley, cucumber and helps to replenish the skin’s oil-water balance.
MAC Cosmetics Molten Metal Highlighter in Lovestruck Luck
Another great Lunar New Year gifting option for beauty buffs, MAC Cosmetics’ Lunar New Year collection includes alluring dragon scale-inspired packaging of best-sellers like the Lustreglass sheer-shine lipstick, MACStack mascara, Hyper Real Fresh Canvas cleaning oil, six-shade eyeshadow palette, Studio Fix Pro Set +Blur weightless loose powder and powder blush.
Senreve Aria Dragon Leather Belt Bag
AAPI-founded bag brand Senreve’s “dragon leather” belt bag nods to this year’s zodiac symbol and can be worn as a crossbody, clutch or fanny pack. It’s big enough to hold the iPhone 14 and is made of 100 percent Italian leather with a dragon-inspired embossed texture.
Our Place x Fly By Jing Hot Wok Set
Stir-fry, steam, boil, deep-fry, saute, sear, blanch, smoke and roast up an entire menu using one wok with Fly By Jing’s Year of the Dragon collab with chic cookware brand Our Place. The limited-edition Hot Wok set includes a 12-inch pre-seasoned nonstick carbon steel pan, a steamer, glass lid, spatula, cooking chopsticks, steamer liners and Fly By Jing’s Sichua Chili Crisp, Zhong Sauce and Chengdu Crunch.
Harney & Sons 2024 Year of the Dragon Tea
Treat your favorite tea lover with a sweet tooth to Harney & Sons’ exclusive Lunar New Year blend inspired by nian gao, a traditional sweet rice cake made of caramel, sesame and coconut.
Charlotte Tilbury Queen of Luck Eye & Lip Duo
This two-piece Queen of Luck beauty set from Charlotte Tilbury features a sparkling four-shade eyshadow palette and a Airbrush Flawless Lip Blur matt lipstick in the color of your choice.
Kate Spade New York Dragon Imitation Pearl & Cubic Zirconia Wrap Ring
For the fashion fan who loves to make a statement, Kate Spade’s dragon wrap ring — made of imitation pearl and sparkling CZ stones — adds fire to their finger stack.
Sugarfina Year of the Dragon 9-Piece Candy Trunk
Satisfy their sweet tooth with Sugarfina’s Lunar New Year candy trunk (designed by lifestyle influencer Chérie Chan) filled with auspicious stars, good fortune truffles, lucky mandarins, lotus flowers, gold pearls, yuzu caramels, dragon eggs, red apple caramels and prosperous pineapples.
Glamnetic Red Martini Short Almond Reusable Press-On Nails
Glamnetic’s reusable press-on nails — in this daring Red Martini short almond style — make it effortless to celebrate the year of the dragon.
Barbie Signature Lunar New Year Doll in Red Satin Cheongsam Dress with Accessories
Barbie is honoring Lunar New Year with this collectible doll in a red satin cheongsam with a colorful peony print, which symbolizes good fortune and prosperity. Designed for kids ages 6 and up, this exclusive item is for children and collectors alike.
Shiseido Ultimune Power Infusing Concentrate
Japanese beauty brand Shiseido’s Power Infusing Concentrate — in a chic red bottle — contains fermented roselle, heartleaf and iris root extracts to hydrate and plump the skin and strengthen its protective barrier, while hydroxyproline supports collagen production to decrease the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. A calming blend of rose, lotus and green floral scents brings a luxurious aroma to your recipient’s skincare ritual. (Megan Rapinoe, Hunter Schafer and Ursula Corbero are among the company’s celebrity ambassadors.)
Ferragamo Dragon Print Silk Foulard
Hollywood-loved label’s Ferragamo’s chic dragon print silk foulard features a dreamy camellia-filled landscape for celebrating the year of the dragon in style. It measures approximately 35 by 35 inches and comes in blue and red/white designs.
Laoban Livin’ on the Vedge Dumplings
Prefer a plant-powered Lunar New Year celebration? Laoban features recipes by award-winning chef (and Chefs Stopping AAPI Hate co-founder) Tim Ma, including the Livin’ on the Vedge dumplings crafted with a delicious concoction of shiitake mushrooms, bok choy and scallions.
Immi Plant-Based Ramen Variety Pack
If you’re a master gift basket builder, Immi’s plant-based ramen packs (available in garlic “chicken,” spicy “beef” and Tom Yum “shrimp”) are perfect for vegetarian Lunar New Year food boxes. The flavorful instant noodles are high in protein (22g) and low in carbs (only 6g per serving), making them great for health-minded meals.
Pearl River Mart Lunar New Year Lucky Foods Box
One of our favorite New York shopping stops, family-owned Chinese boutique Pearl River Mart (located in SoHo and Chelsea Market) is stocked with all of the decor, red envelopes, tchotchkes, foods and other finds for your Lunar New Year celebration. The retailer’s Lunar New Year Lucky Foods Box is filled with plenty of your favorite candies to shower your giftee (and their sweet tooth) with good fortune.
Material Kitchen the ReBoard
Speaking of food, upgrade their prep setup with Asian-founded kitchen-goods brand Material’s ReBoard, a colorful BPA cutting board made of upcycled kitchen plastics and renewable sugarcane. Fifty percent of profits from this beige “To Pó-Po, with Love” colorway goes to Heart of Dinner, which supports Asian American elders in NYC facing food insecurity with weekly care packages.
Venus et Fleur Lunar New Year Bundle
Venus et Fleur’s red roses come in a Lunar New Year-inspired bundle that can be customized with your giftee’s favorite candle scent (Rose Blanche, Rose Oud or Nue Tuberose).