Lunar New Year — celebrated as Chinese New Year (春節), Vietnamese Tết, Korean Seollal, and by Malay and other Asian communities across Australia — is one of the most culturally significant gift-giving occasions on the Australian calendar. With Chinese Australians, Vietnamese Australians, Korean Australians, and many other communities celebrating in late January or February, it's an occasion that spans hundreds of thousands of households across the country.
Family reunion is the defining theme of Lunar New Year. A custom photo frame that captures the family together — with restickable backing so it mounts anywhere without nails — is a gift that honours that spirit in a lasting way.
Why Photo Frames Work as Lunar New Year Gifts
Lunar New Year gifts are traditionally about bringing prosperity, good fortune, and blessings for the year ahead. A framed family photograph does something even more meaningful: it anchors the family's shared history visually, on the wall of the home where it's seen every day. It's a blessing of memory and connection.
Unlike red envelopes (hongbao/lì xì) or food hampers — which are consumed or spent — a framed family photo is permanent. The older the photo becomes, the more meaningful the frame.
Lunar New Year Photo Frame Gift Ideas
The Family Reunion Dinner Photo
The reunion dinner (妍年饭 / bữa tất) is the most important gathering of the year for many Asian Australian families. A photo from last year's reunion dinner — the whole family around the table — printed large and framed makes the most meaningful Lunar New Year gift. It says: our family together is the greatest treasure.
Gift for Parents or Grandparents
In Chinese, Vietnamese, and Korean tradition, honouring parents and grandparents is central to New Year customs. A frame displaying their children and grandchildren — especially the newest generation — is one of the most treasured gifts you can give. The restickable backing means elderly parents can position it wherever they wish without any tools.
A New Home New Year Gift
If someone in the family or friend group has moved into a new home before the New Year, a set of restickable photo frames is both a housewarming and New Year gift combined. Photos of family, ready to go on the walls of a new home on the first day of the lunar year — starting the year surrounded by the people who matter most.
The Kitchen Fridge Gallery
For a family that gathers around food — and in Lunar New Year households, that means everyone — magnetic hanging frames on the fridge door create a beautiful everyday display without touching a single wall. Especially practical for apartment dwellers and renters.
Lunar New Year Gift Calendar for Australian Families
| Community | Occasion | Typical Month (AU) |
|---|---|---|
| Chinese Australian | Spring Festival / Chinese New Year | January–February |
| Vietnamese Australian | Tết Nguyên Ðán | January–February |
| Korean Australian | Seollal | January–February |
| Malay & Indonesian Australian | Hari Raya Aidilfitri | March–April (varies) |
| Indian Australian | Diwali / Deepavali | October–November |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a good Chinese New Year gift in Australia?
A custom photo frame is a deeply personal Chinese New Year gift that honours family connections — the central theme of Lunar New Year. Giftovia's restickable frames are ideal for Australian households who rent, as they mount without nails and leave no marks on walls.
When is Lunar New Year in Australia?
Lunar New Year falls in late January or February each year. It is widely celebrated in Australian cities with large Asian communities: Sydney (Chinatown, Cabramatta), Melbourne (Box Hill, Footscray), Brisbane, Perth, and Adelaide.
Are restickable frames suitable for apartment dwellers?
Yes — they're ideal. Most apartment and rental leases in Australia prohibit nails. Restickable frames mount without nails, peel off cleanly, and leave no marks. Perfect for the many Asian Australian families living in apartments in Sydney and Melbourne.