When in Rome, do as the Romans do. So, why not celebrate Chinese New Year the local way? This year, Chinese New Year, also known as Spring Festival, begins on Feb. 18 and celebrations wind down on the 15th day of the New Year, known as the Lantern Festival. We challenge those of you who will remain in Shanghai over Spring Festival to uncurl from under your blankets and to celebrate the Chinese New Year, Shanghai-style.

Feast with Family and Friends

"The most important thing is to spend time with your family," says Lizzy Li, graduate of Shanghai International Studies University. "However, no one wants to cook, so eating out is becoming a more popular but expensive trend." Many restaurants will offer "nianyefan" (年夜饭) menus, but prices catapult in the same way as plane tickets to leave town. For those who opt to stay at home, reunion dinner is usually hot pot, where family and close relatives gather to chat heartily over the lengthy, interactive meal. The beef, lamb and fish slices and meatballs that are thrown into the boiling, tasty soup symbolize an abundance of fortune. Eating "tangyuan" (汤圆), glutinous rice balls with a variety of fillings, are a must in keeping with the spirit of family reunion, or the similar-sounding "tuanyuan" (团圆) during the Lantern Festival. We recommend hot pot at Little Sheep or Macao Dolar as a good way to host a pseudo-reunion dinner with friends.

Traditional Eats

"'Babaofan' is just like Christmas pudding, except it's made of glutinous rice and stuffed with red bean paste," says Shanghai born and bred Annie Zhu. Adorned with delicious jewels of jujubes, lotus seeds, cherries and the likes, this "Eight Treasures Rice" (八宝饭) represents your treasures for the New Year and can be found in supermarkets such as Lotus in Super Brand Mall and at Carrefour. Dumplings or jiaozi, best served up at Crystal Jade or Ding Tai Feng, are another popular Chinese New Year dish. "Niangao" (年糕）is a sweet, gooey cake that symbolizes attaining higher positions in one's life and improving in every aspect during one's year. And of course, who can forget the alcohol? Rice wine ("baijiu", 白酒) is the traditional drink of choice, and is readily available (and cheap!) at supermarkets and restaurants around town.

Celebrate with a Blast

If you've ever spent Chinese New Year in Shanghai, you'll agree it is a time of mayhem and madness. It is imperative for Chinese people to light fireworks ("bianpao", 鞭炮), but this tradition continues day and night throughout the Spring Festival, at lucky hours. Did you know that "nian," or "year," (年) was thought to be a beast that appears every New Year's Eve? The practice of lighting firecrackers stems from the superstition that loud noises and bright lights will ward off evil spirits, including "nian." China has approximately 7,000 fireworks manufacturing plants, many originating from the Liuyang region of Hunan province. Fireworks can be purchased from your local shop or from hawkers' temporary booths on the street. But be warned–on average, there are 400 accidents and 450 deaths caused by pyrotechnics annually.

Rollin' in the Dough

"Yasuiqian" (压岁钱), a.k.a. "hongbao" (红包), or red envelopes, were traditionally given as a congratulatory gift for children having escaped the wrath of "Nian the Beast." Nowadays, older married couples will give the younger generation red envelopes filled with celebration money. With the assistance of extra cash, Spring Festival sees masses of people shopping for items such as new clothing, primarily in red, which is believed to be a good way to start the New Year. "We tend to go shopping lots during the festive season as we have extra cash in our pockets," says Ginger Ding, who has lived in Puxi since childhood. Hit the sales at Xintiandi, or if you're really in need of luck this year, start from the very first layer and visit Lingerie & Me. Spread some cheer to your overseas friends–an impressive range of Chinese New Year greeting cards with English greetings and intricate designs in gold can be purchased almost anywhere. Fuzhou Lu's many stationery stores have a good selection.

New Year Tidbits

Based on the Lunar calendar, it is the Year of the Golden Pig, the best combination of the animal zodiac and the five elements– metal, wood, water, fire and earth–occurring once every 60 years.

Why are "fu" (福, fortune) signs hung upside down? The term "fu dao le" (福到了) or "fortune has come," invites luck into the household, hence the placement of the sign. Pairs of fish are also popular decorations because of the phrase "nian nian you yu" (年年有余), where "yu" (鱼), meaning "fish," sounds similar to "yu"(余), meaning "extra." One always hopes to "have a little extra" every year.

At the Chenghuang Temple in the Yuyuan Gardens stands an enchanting gold and red wishing tree, where for a small fee you can make a wish for your Year of the Pig. Aim high–the higher your token hangs from the tree, the more likely it is that your wish will come true.

Don't clean up! In the old days, the rule of thumb is generally to make a mess when eating New Year treats, representative of the money one would make for the year. Refrain from cleaning up on the first day of the festivities, because you might "sweep your luck away."

DIY: Check out this issue's The Dish to see how you can set up a hot pot feast at home. Take a crash course in Dumplings 101。