A dozen local seniors dressed in festive colours enjoyed a fun photoshoot posing with the God of Fortune ahead of Lunar New Year on Friday.
The God of Fortune photo booth, inspired by the Christmas tradition of Santa photos, is currently open at Aberdeen Centre, and seniors at Success Richmond were gifted a free photoshoot for the holidays.
Shawn Chiu, a character designer and organizer of the event, said he wanted to show his appreciation for seniors who immigrated to Canada and paved the way for younger generations.
"Without their contribution, us new immigrants would have had a hard time building a life here," he explained.
The photo booth, decorated with characters designed by Chiu, is part of Aberdeen Centre's Lunar New Year celebrations and offers portraits with the God of Fortune for a fee.
Community members who purchase a photo or any merchandise from the booth will get to do a lucky draw for a chance to win Chiu's merchandise or Lunar New Year decorations.
Chiu told the Richmond News his idea for the photo booth came during Christmas while he was telling a friend about his plans to take a family photo with Santa.
"I thought the Chinese-Canadian community could do something similar during Lunar New Year. The God of Fortune could take photos with families and greet them (for the holidays)," he explained.
Growing up in Hong Kong, Chiu recalls taking photos with the God of Fortune while grabbing dim sum, but it was often a brief experience rather than a proper photoshoot.
The God of Fortune symbolizes money and wealth in Chinese culture, and taking photos with him often serves as a prayer for good fortune in the new year.
Richmond is an ideal location for this idea, he added, since it has a larger Chinese-Canadian community.
Chiu hopes the event will help raise awareness about Lunar New Year traditions and attract community members from all cultures, just like Santa photos.
"We hope to get the word out that a group of new immigrants from Hong Kong are organizing this unique event. We're trying to forge a new path for ourselves," he added.
The God of Fortune photo booth at Aberdeen Centre is open from now until Feb. 11. Bookings and walk-ins are available.
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