A bowl of coin dumplings

Dumplings are the indispensable food for Chinese people on New Year's Day as well as other festivals. According to the traditional customs, dumplings should be prepared before 24:00 on New Year's Eve and eaten between 23:00 on New Year's Eve and 1:00 on New Year's Day.  

饺子是中国人逢年过节时，餐桌上必不可少的美食。按照传统风俗，饺子要在大年三十晚上12点前包好，待到除夕夜晚十一点至凌晨一点之间享用。

As dumplings look like the ancient Chinese currency, "gold or silver ingot", eating dumplings on New Year's Day implies "ring in the New Year and bring in wealth & treasure". 

由于饺子的形状像中国古代的货币"元宝"，因此，在除夕夜吃饺子寓意着"辞旧迎新、招财进宝"。

Dumplings are often stuffed with coins, sugar, peanuts, jujubes and chestnuts. The one who eats the dumpling containing a coin is blessed with a large fortune in the coming year, the one who eats the dumpling containing sugar is blessed with a happy and sweet life, the one who eats the dumpling with peanuts is blessed with health and longevity, and the one who eats the dumpling with jujubes and chestnuts is blessed with birth to a baby. "枣" (zǎo, jujubes) shares the same pronunciation with "早", so it is often borrowed for a good wish. 

包饺子的人常常将钱币、糖、花生、枣和栗子等包进饺子馅里。待饺子上桌，吃到钱币人来年将发大财。吃到糖的人来新的一年日子将更甜甜美美。吃到花生的人将会健康长寿。吃到枣和栗子的人将早生贵子。（枣的中文发音为：（zǎo），它于早晚的"早"发音相同。因此人们常常借此发音比喻美好祝愿）

Attention here! If you are invited by your Chinese friends to their New Year's Eve dinner, you had better chew the dumplings slowly and carefully, in case you swallow the coin as well as the good luck. 

接到中国朋友邀约参加除夕大餐的你，可要注意啦。大口吃饺子时，还是要细嚼慢咽啊，不小心把财宝吃进肚子里可就交不了好运啦！

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