Introduction to Chinese New Year

1. "May you become
prosperous"

2. • Spring festival, or what is
more known as the Chinese
New Year
• is considered one of the
most important events in
China.
• The celebration is based on
the lunar calendar, so that
the first day of the lunar year
marks the Chinese New Year.

3. • The event falls between
late January to early
February.
• The celebration begins on
the eve of the lunar new
year and continues on until
the fifth day of the lunar
calendar's first month

4. • Generally, the Chinese
people prepares for this
holiday by making sure
everything in their life is in
order, or at least under
control. By this I mean the
house should be clean, rifts
or problems should be
resolved, clothes worn
should be clean or new, etc.

5. • At midnight there are
fireworks and firecrackers
to greet the coming of the
new year. The belief behind
this is that the noise
created by the firecrackers
will drive away evil spirits.

6. • After the festivities, the
family will sit down to a
feast. A sticky rice pudding
called nian gao (or "tikoy")
as well as dumplings is
usually present in these
feasts.

7. • Nian gao is also given to
family and friends; the
belief behind this is that the
stickiness of the nian
gao will hold or bind the
family together. Also,
because of its round shape
and sweet taste, it is said to
bring good fortune and
sweetness to one's life.

8. • Houses are decorated with lights
and lanterns. Red is a popular
color to wear when ushering in
the Chinese New Year.
• Hongbao, or red envelopes that
contain money, are given to
family and friends (especially
the youngsters) as a symbol of
luck and wealth.

9. • There are also lots of musical
performances and parades; the
most famous of which is thedragon
and lion dance.
• In the Chinese culture, the dragon
is the deity of water ensuring that
no drought will come. The lion, on
the other hand, helps ward off evil
spirits since it symbolizes power
and courage.