As red lanterns illuminate streets across the Chinese mainland, American bloggers Brecken and Selina Neumann are celebrating their second Spring Festival in China this year. Their journey from cultural observers to active participants highlights the evolving global connections shaping Asia's social landscape.
"From hotel delivery robots offering midnight snacks to digital red envelope exchanges, China's tech integration amazes us daily," Brecken told KhabarAsia.com during Shanghai's festive celebrations. The couple, who first connected with Chinese culture through social media platform RedNote in 2025, now document their cross-cultural experiences for 380,000 followers.
This Lunar New Year brought poignant "becoming Chinese" moments – learning proper baozi folding techniques from Beijing street vendors, participating in community couplet-writing sessions, and receiving unexpected mandarin oranges from neighbors. "It's not just about traditions," Selina noted. "It's people's genuine excitement in sharing their culture that moves us."
Their observations come as China welcomed 1.2 million international visitors during this year's Spring Festival travel rush, with cultural tourism accounting for 34% of trips according to 2026 industry reports. As the Neumanns prepare to film temple fair celebrations in Xi'an, their story reflects growing global interest in Asia's living traditions amidst technological advancement.
