With family and food the cornerstone of Chinese new year celebrations, which generally run for a week, the event is the busiest time of year for many, including Me Wah Restaurant's chef, Toby Tsu.

Working 12-hour days, Mr Tso is busy for weeks in the lead-up doing preparations for the most popular new year dishes that will hopefully bring good luck, such as the whole Tasmanian green lip abalone slow cooked in chicken broth for more than 10 hours.

"Abalone is one of the most special dishes at this time of year - especially the Tasmanian abalone," restaurant director Stanley Tso said.

Air-dried Tasmanian oysters with black moss on a bed of roast pork pieces is another favourite, as is roast chicken or quail marinated in herbs.

The meal can be finished with the new year pudding, made from sticky rice and cane sugar, decorated with a red date and steamed.

Mr Tso said fireworks, firecrackers and dragon dances were used to scare away the bad spirits and welcome in the good.

Launceston Chinese Association president Dr Meixue Zhou will celebrate the occasion with a party at home with friends and students on Sunday.

The Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture associate professor has celebrated the occasion in this way since he moved to Australia in 1996, and while once it only involved Chinese friends and students, those of different cultures now join in the celebrations and learn about the traditions.

Dr Zhou, who is originally from Yangzhou, said new year celebrations were best compared to how Christians celebrated Christmas - as a time of year to spend with family and friends, preparing and eating traditional dishes.

Dumplings were one such dish that would be prepared with family before being enjoyed together.

He said the giving of gifts was not big, nor expensive, but came in the form of a red envelope, called hangbo, with a small monetary gift and given to children.

He said they would also tune into Chinese television to watch fireworks displays in Beijing.