Draco Malfoy, the New Chinese New Year Mascot?

Chinese New Year (新年), also known as the Spring Festival (春节), is a joy-filled holiday that symbolizes a fresh start by removing the old and bad, and welcoming the new and good year. It unites society, with everyone wishing each other good fortune, prosperity, and good health. It is celebrated by gifting red envelopes, lion dances, dragon dances, family reunions, and more. But these traditions have nothing to do with Harry Potter…so what does Draco Malfoy have to do with Chinese New Year?

Well, 2026 is the year of the horse, 马 (mǎ) in Mandarin. And Draco Malfoy’s Chinese name, “德拉科·马尔福” (Dé lā kē·mǎ'ěr fú), happens to

include the characters 马 (mǎ) meaning horse, and 福 (fú) meaning fortune or blessing. While Malfoy’s Chinese name is just an English loanword, it coincidentally perfectly matches this year's lunar calendar and new year. People throughout China have declared Malfoy as the unofficial mascot of this year’s Chinese New Year, stating it is auspicious to share an image of him for good fortune.

Chinese e-commerce sites like Taobao have even been selling Draco Malfoy-inspired Chinese New Year decorations. These range from small trinkets like pins, stickers, or figurines to larger decorations like red envelopes 红包 (hóngbāo), decorative scrolls, and Chinese New Year posters with Malfoy’s face. The most popular decoration is a 福字 (fúzi) featuring the iconic Harry Potter character’s face. 福字 (fúzi) are red squares of paper hung upside down with the character 福 (fú), symbolizing the arrival of luck to the house.

Tom Felton, the actor who plays Draco Malfoy, has shared an Instagram Story discussing his unofficial “symbol of Chinese New Year in China”. This delighted netizens, with many finding the Malfoy situation even funnier.

So, despite Chinese New Year having deep cultural roots, there is still room for funny pop-culture moments. No one could have predicted Draco Malfoy to take the center stage during Chinese New Year celebrations, but maybe he will bring extra luck to all this Lunar New Year. 新年快乐! 祝大家恭喜发财! Happy New Year! Wishing everyone prosperity and good fortune!