Customers visit the Chinese Zodiac Display presented by the Westfield Valley Fair mall on Monday. The Chinese Zodiac is based on a 12-year cycle, and each year in that cycle related to an animal sign. Lian Zi / China Daily

US retailers and brands have planned special events to persuade shoppers for the Chinese New Year.

Bloomingdale's announced that starting on Thursday, Feb 19, the Chinese New Year, throughout the weekend, select stores will celebrate the holiday with in-store events including lion dances, traditional Chinese musicians and cooking demonstrations, according to Suzy Nager, the department store's national media relations manager.

Shoppers at select stores could join the celebration and test their luck with the Chinese red envelope tradition. Envelopes will be filled with prizes such as a Bloomingdale's gift card in a denomination of $8, $88, or $888. Eight is a traditional lucky number in Chinese culture.

"Bloomingdale's looks forward to honoring Chinese culture and tradition as we celebrate this special holiday," said Tony Spring, Bloomingdale's chairman and CEO. "We invite all loyal shoppers and tourists to join the festivities as we bring the Year of the Ram to life in our stores."

"The shopping mall is immersed in the atmosphere of celebrating the Chinese holiday, and the symbol of the ram could be seen everywhere in the mall, even though it is still about two weeks away from the holiday," said Yu Fei, a Chinese-American shopper at the Westfield Valley Fair Mall in Santa Clara, California.

Yu was visiting the Chinese Zodiac display presented by the mall. The zodiac is based on a 12-year cycle, and each year in that cycle is related to an animal sign. (Depending on one's perspective, this is either the Year of the Ram, Sheep or Goat.)

"We could determine our zodiac signs paired with characteristic traits, as well as learn about some Lunar New Year traditions and stories, which are very interesting," Yu said.

Coach, one of the most popular US brands with Chinese consumers, is offering Year of the Sheep-themed bags in red, which is used mostly in Chinese New Year decorations.

Clarisonic, a US beauty products brand, just launched its "Mia3-Year of the Goat" skin-cleaning wand to bring wishes of good fortune, wealth and happiness while customers cleanse, the company advertised.

Starbucks is selling mugs, tumblers and gift cards featuring the sheep motif this year. A seller is currently offering2008-2015 Starbucks Chinese New Year mugs for $3,000 on eBay.

American sneaker brands also are using the "Year of the Goat" to promote their footwear. Vans, founded in California, has begun selling a four-piece collection in two silhouettes in China and other Asian countries featuring the image of sheep.

Nike released it holiday-themed Air Jordan sneakers, even though "it's unclear what design element makes them goatlike," commented a Chinese buyer on the microblogging website Weibo.

zilian@chinadailyusa.com