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The blogging superstar sets your table for this weekend's celebrations

Lainey Lui. Mark O'Neill

Chinese New Year is so rich in karmic symbolism that Lainey Lui rarely makes future plans until the holiday has come and gone. "I can't make goals until I know what my horoscope is going to look like," she says.

Lui may not know what this coming year has in store, but her luck seems to have been holding steady. She currently co-hosts the daytime staple The Social while running her popular celebrity-news website LaineyGossip.com. She also recently took on new duties as a visiting professor at the school for advanced studies in arts and humanities at the University of Western Ontario, educating students on the value of gossip. "It's been so amazing," she says.

As per family tradition, Lui's mother reads her feng shui flow each year. "In some years, you have good luck, and that's the time to invest, get married, do big things. And the years when it's not, it's a time to lay low," she says.

The Year of the Dog, which arrives this weekend, symbolizes loyalty, courage and valiance. And while those born under the sign are said to be unlucky this year, there's still a good time to be had by all – at least at the dinner table.

As always, Lui will be spending Chinese New Year feasting with family and here shares her pointers for your own festivities.

1. Chinese Zodiac Charm

Google the signs of each of your dinner party guests and gift each guest a charm specific to their sign and loop their charm around the stem of their wine glass. They'll leave the party with something personal and everyone will be able to tell which glass belongs to whom.

Chinese New Year Bulldog Charm, $130 and Sweetie Bracelet, $295 at Links of London.

2. Red Envelopes

Red envelopes are often seen at Chinese celebrations and typically filled with money and distributed as blessings. If you are going out for dinner to ring in the Lunar New Year, prepare your tips in advance in lucky red envelopes to give to your servers at the end of the meal.

Palettera hand-pressed lucky money pockets, $88 for eight at fetechinoise.ca

3. Clementines

The word for "clementine" in Chinese sounds very much like the word for "lucky," which is why they are often used. Put a clementine on every place setting at your dinner table. Everyone will have a little luck to start the meal.

Stem and leaf clementines, $3.99 a pound at Pusateri's Fine Foods.

4. Tea Leaves

It is tradition in Chinese culture for the younger generation to honour their elders by offering tea. Pouring tea for someone is a sign of respect. And Chinese people can be particular about their tea. If you're giving tea as a gift, make sure you buy high-quality tea leaves.

TWG Tea Emperor Pu-Erh Tea, $48 and Yunnan Pu-Erh Tea Brick, $138 at vansingdg.com

5. New Clothes

Chinese people often wear new clothes to start the year – never black, though. We always dress in bright colours to celebrate the holiday. This burnt orange sweater is perfect.

COS chunky cotton knit top, $135 at COS.


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