Chinese New Year fever spreads to Europe's capitals

( chinadaily.com.cn ) Updated: 2016-02-03 22:11

Items designed for Chinese New Year on display in Harrods Department Store in London, UK, Feb 2, 2016. [Photo/chinadaily.com.cn]

As many Chinese are returning home for the Chinese lunar new year, or Spring Festival celebration, it is also being gradually accepted by Europeans: schools are starting to teach that side of Chinese culture to children, adults attend special events, and even businesses take the opportunity to use the festival for promotion.

In the European capitals of London, Brussels and Paris, the atmosphere is easy to feel as the year of Monkey approaches. Shopping centers are trying their best to broaden their appeal to Chinese consumers with offers, discounts and presentations featuring Chinese elements.

The high-end department store Harrods in London has partnered with Hong Kong-based toy-art brand Papinee to create an exclusive Chinese New Year toy, the Harrods Happy Monkey.

The soft toy, available from January and displayed in the department's windows, is decorated with symbols representing happiness, luck and positive energy in shape of motifs such as hearts, four-leaf clovers and horse shoes, according to the department.