Preparing for Chinese New Year

We’ve focused on some traditional events taking place in January all over the world this week and we’re concluding with our build up to Chinese New Year. The oldest festival in China is just two weeks away now, with the celebrations of the year of the horse taking place on the 31st January. If you’re gearing up for Chinese New Year or know someone in China who will be celebrating in two weeks time, choose RAND as your logistics company to send parcels to China.

On the eve of Chinese New Year, families will spring clean their homes in preparation for a new beginning. Once cleaning is over, everything used to clean is put away to symbolise the idea that good luck will not be brushed away. Once New Year s Eve arrives, families will host a large dinner with all sorts of traditional Chinese food. The theme of good luck is maintained as phrases wishing happiness and wealth are present across the household.

The night is filled with huge fireworks displays that are meant to scare away any evil spirits along with dragon costumes and red clothing. Children are given red envelopes by their parents and grandparents that contain treats and money, a further sign of prosperity and good luck. The festival continues for 15 days, concluding with a lantern procession at night.

Make sure you check out RAND Logistics range of services this Chinese New Year or contact us for more information about how we can get your parcels from A to B on a worldwide scale.

Coming of Age Day in Japan

Yesterday was Coming of Age Day in Japan, a national event that has been celebrated for over a thousand years. The ceremony surrounds a young prince’s passage into adulthood by wearing glamorous robes and being given a new hairstyle. Most of the young adults who attend Coming of Age Day in Japan are 20 years old, except for some who are actually 19 and have birthdays that are between April of last year and April of this year.

Coming of Age Day is a big thing in Japan, with government officials attending local offices to give out presents to the new adults. The women that celebrate the event are generally dressed in a style of kimono, though they will usually visit a beauty salon to look their best for the day. Many of these kimonos are passed down through generations as the traditional Coming of Age dress is particularly expensive. In most cases, the young adults will finish the day by heading out to parties or bars for the evening.

Do you need to ship a parcel to Japan? RAND Logistics offer a global service that includes both collection and delivery. If you know someone who is celebrating their coming of age today and you need to send a gift to Japan, you require our services here at RAND!

Thanksgiving Day

It might seem a little early to be thinking about Thanksgiving Day, but the most organised among us will want to take advantage of the benefits of sending a parcel early. The day is traditionally celebrated on the fourth Thursday in November in the US, and this year falls on 28th November.

Thanksgiving generally marks the start of the American holiday season, and many families decide to put up their Christmas decorations around Thanksgiving. The day is most famous for its family feasts, which often resemble the traditional British Christmas dinner, with a turkey and all the trimmings and abundant displays of desserts, including pumpkin pie.

The day is all about showing thanks for all that you have and the people in your life, along with a religious element, and was started by Abraham Lincoln in 1863.

Many of the major cities hold parades, and these will involve spectacular displays of marching bands, music, dancing and floats. This gives families a chance to reunite in a family-friendly activity and get together with the other members of their community to join in with the festivities.

There are also special sports games to celebrate Thanksgiving, including American football games on Thanksgiving (the Thanksgiving Classic), and televised games from sports such as ice hockey, golf and auto racing around Thanksgiving.

If you have friends or relatives in the US, why not send them a Thanksgiving gift with RAND?