School of Social & Political Sciences

Author: Yawen Luo, MSc Digital Society student

这是我第一次在海外独自迎接新春，起初虽难免孤独，但通过在格拉斯哥逛市集、贴福字、亲手包饺子，我在这座包容的城市找到了家一般的归属感。这篇博文记录了我迎接马年的真实点滴，希望能将这份温暖分享给大家 。

(English: This is my first time celebrating the Spring Festival alone overseas. Although it felt a bit lonely at first, I found a sense of home and belonging in this inclusive city of Glasgow by visiting local markets, putting up traditional "Fu" decorations, and making dumplings by hand. This blog post captures my personal journey of preparing for the Year of the Horse, and I hope to share this warmth with you.)

How I’m preparing for Spring Festival in Glasgow

With February just around the corner, a very special event is approaching: the Spring Festival. For me, as an international student from China, this is the most important time of year. It is a season for family and joy.

Since this is my first time celebrating so far from home, I will admit that I felt a bit lonely at the start. But as the festival gets closer, I have found plenty of ways to prepare for the Year of the Horse in Glasgow. In the Chinese Zodiac, the horse represents energy and progress, and 2026 is our year to embrace these qualities.

Finding decorations at a local market

This weekend, I visited a traditional new year market in city centre. The atmosphere was wonderful! There were three floors to explore, and each floor offered something different: from a wide variety of Asian street food to festive decorations and areas where you could play traditional games or make a wish for the Year of the Horse.

Wishes for the Year of the Horse.

While browsing the stalls, I found some beautiful red decorations. I learned that these were hand-written by the elderly members of a local community group called the Wing Hong Elderly Group in Glasgow. All the money from these sales goes back into supporting their activities for seniors. I loved the idea that by decorating my room, I was also giving something back to the local community. Seeing the careful, traditional brushwork of the seniors made these items feel even more special.

Hand-written decorations by the Wing Hong Elderly Group

I bought two calligraphy squares—one with the character “Fu” (representing good fortune) and another that says “Ji Xiang Ru Yi” (meaning “good luck and everything goes well”). As soon as I hung them up in my student accommodation, the space  instantly became bright, warm and festive. It is amazing how a few simple red decorations can make a dorm room thousands of miles away feel like home.

Calligraphy squares

Making a simple traditional meal

Traditional food is an essential part of the Spring Festival. This year, my friends and I decided to make dumplings by hand in the galley of our student accommodation.

Many people worry about finding the right ingredients abroad, but I found that they are actually very easy to get. We bought everything we needed at Tesco. A helpful tip: when buying mince meat for dumplings, try to choose one with a higher fat percentage. This makes the filling much juicier! We also bought some flour to make the dumpling skins from scratch.

Ingredients: Mincemeat and flour

After we finished, I shared the warm dumplings with my roommates and even froze some to eat on the actual day of the festival. This was my first time making dumplings all by myself. Although they didn't look as perfect as the ones my family makes at home, they tasted wonderful and made me feel much closer to home.

Home-made Dumplings

Eating dumplings represents reunion and wealth, making it a must-have part of the celebration. Making them together is also a lot of fun, and I highly recommend trying it with your friends to welcome the Year of the Horse!

Dumplings on the making

As the celebration gets closer, I no longer feel as worried as I did at the start of the month. These experiences have given me the confidence that I will have a wonderful Spring Festival here in Glasgow. It is a great reminder that even when we are far from home, we can still find a sense of belonging in such a welcoming city.

I’m so excited to finally welcome the new year! Just before I go, check out Glasgow’s most famous horse.

Equestrian statue of the Duke of Wellington, Glasgow

Happy Year of the Horse!

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First published: 13 February 2026