Chinese Coca Cola Mania During Lunar New Year

The Chinese New Year is the most important of the traditional Chinese holidays. In China, it is known as Spring Festival.  It marks the end of the winter season, analogous to the Western Carnival.  Because the Chinese calendar is lunisolar, the Chinese New Year is often referred to as the Lunar New Year.  Chinese New Year is the longest and most important festivity in the Chinese calendar.

The Chinese years are associated with an animal.  This year 2012, it is the year of the dragon.  The celebration of the Chinese New Year is a long series of festivities which extend to fifteen days.  On the last day of the festivities. candles are lit outside houses as a way to guide wayward spirits home. This day is celebrated as the Lantern Festival, and families walk the street carrying lighted lanterns.

Markets or village fairs are set up as the New Year is approaching. These usually open-air markets feature new year related products such as flowers, toys, clothing, and even fireworks. It is convenient for people to buy gifts for their new year visits as well as their home decoration. In some places, the practice of shopping for the perfect plum trees not dissimilar to the Western tradition of buying a Christmas tree.

In Panama, the Chinese community is very active in the celebration of their New Year.  This year, they held a huge open-air market at El Dorado Shopping Center.  A large section of the parking lot was reserved for the exhibition of Chinese goods and food.  The gathering of Chinese descendants was considerable.  I had never seen so many Chinese people in one place.

Below are several pictures of Chinese children trying to buy a Coca Cola from a tall red Coca Cola box with only one cent.  The concentration of the children on the red Coca Cola box was remarkable.  The line of children waiting to be lifted to the box was long and twisted, like a large snake.  Here we go.

Snapshot of several Chinese children concentrated on a kid who was trying to buy a Coca Cola soda from a tall red machine. The enthusiasm in the area was contagious. Photo by ©Omar Upegui R.

Snapshot of a cute little girl dressed in traditional Chinese clothes celebrating the lunar New Year in Panama City, Panama. Photo by ©Omar Upegui R.

Snapshot of a game organized by Coca Cola which was selling a can of soda for only one cent at the Chinese New Year in Panama City, Panama. Photo by ©Omar Upegui R.

Snapshot of a chubby Chinese boy trying to obtain his can of soda with one cent. Excitement was everywhere in sight. Photo by ©Omar Upegui R.

Snapshot of the large attendance at the open-market celebrating the Chinese New Year. Take notice of the Coca Cola promoter neatly dressed in red. Photo by ©Omar Upegui R.

Photo by ©Omar Upegui R.

Parents and children alike were mesmerized with the competition of the little kids struggling to get their Coca Cola soda from the big red machine. Photo by ©Omar Upegui R.

If you enjoyed these pictures, you are warmly invited to return tomorrow for more.  For the upcoming days I will be posting pictures of how the Chinese Community celebrate their New Year in this country.  Good Day.