I don't really know much on Chinese traditions because nobody would tell me so here's what I know...
The Chinese New Year is also known as Spring Festival and it is the most important of the traditional Chinese holidays. The festival starts on the first day of the first month in the Chinese calender and ends with a Lantern Festival which is on the 15th day also known as Chap Goh Meh.
During Chinese New Year's Eve, Chinese families gather together for their annual reunion dinner.
People will pour out their money to buy presents, decoration, material, food, and clothing. It is also the tradition that every family thoroughly cleans the house to sweep away any ill-fortune in hopes to make way for good incoming luck. Windows and doors will be decorated with red colour paper-cuts and couplets with popular themes of "happiness", "wealth", and "longevity"(My family don't spend that much on decoration). On the Eve of Chinese New Year, supper is a feast with families. Food will include such items as pigs, ducks, chicken and sweet delicacies(My grandmother always cook her specialties and my favorite foods because I'm her "golden" grandchild, :D). The family will end the night with firecrackers(Love this part, my neighbors go all out on fireworks, so the whole neighborhood is filled with all kinds of fireworks and the next day, everyone's floor is filled with the fireworks' red residue but nobody would clean up because people believe it's "bad" luck if you do, but I think most people are just lazy or busy to clean it up). Early the next morning, children will greet their parents by wishing them a healthy and happy new year, and receive money in red paper envelopes(I don't really greet on the next day, I usually do it before I sleep after the fireworks and I normally get my red packets the previous day during the reunion dinner).
The Chinese New Year tradition is a great way to reconcile; forgetting all grudges, and sincerely wish peace and happiness for everyone(I just wished people because it's my way of saying Hello, Nice to see ya again or Give me ang pow...haha... at least that's just me) Most importantly, the first day of Chinese New Year is a time when families visit the oldest and most senior members of their extended family, usually their parents, grandparents or great-grandparents. Some families may invite a lion dance troupe as a symbolic ritual to usher in the Lunar New Year as well as to evict bad spirits from the premises(My cousins used to participate in the lion dance, but they quit already). Members of the family who are married also give red envelopes containing cash to junior members of the family, mostly children and teenagers(The part I love the most, receiving money! Luckily I'm not married yet or anytime soon). Business managers also give bonuses through red envelopes to employees for good luck and wealth(This doesn't happen for all business managers, only those that believe in the act or they are generous).
If you are really interested to find out more, click here.
If you want to see the celebration and not from countries and territories with significant Chinese populations, visit your local Chinatown! BTW>This year's Chinese New Year is on February 3rd.
Have a nice day!!
The Chinese New Year is also known as Spring Festival and it is the most important of the traditional Chinese holidays. The festival starts on the first day of the first month in the Chinese calender and ends with a Lantern Festival which is on the 15th day also known as Chap Goh Meh.
During Chinese New Year's Eve, Chinese families gather together for their annual reunion dinner.
People will pour out their money to buy presents, decoration, material, food, and clothing. It is also the tradition that every family thoroughly cleans the house to sweep away any ill-fortune in hopes to make way for good incoming luck. Windows and doors will be decorated with red colour paper-cuts and couplets with popular themes of "happiness", "wealth", and "longevity"(My family don't spend that much on decoration). On the Eve of Chinese New Year, supper is a feast with families. Food will include such items as pigs, ducks, chicken and sweet delicacies(My grandmother always cook her specialties and my favorite foods because I'm her "golden" grandchild, :D). The family will end the night with firecrackers(Love this part, my neighbors go all out on fireworks, so the whole neighborhood is filled with all kinds of fireworks and the next day, everyone's floor is filled with the fireworks' red residue but nobody would clean up because people believe it's "bad" luck if you do, but I think most people are just lazy or busy to clean it up). Early the next morning, children will greet their parents by wishing them a healthy and happy new year, and receive money in red paper envelopes(I don't really greet on the next day, I usually do it before I sleep after the fireworks and I normally get my red packets the previous day during the reunion dinner).
The Chinese New Year tradition is a great way to reconcile; forgetting all grudges, and sincerely wish peace and happiness for everyone(I just wished people because it's my way of saying Hello, Nice to see ya again or Give me ang pow...haha... at least that's just me) Most importantly, the first day of Chinese New Year is a time when families visit the oldest and most senior members of their extended family, usually their parents, grandparents or great-grandparents. Some families may invite a lion dance troupe as a symbolic ritual to usher in the Lunar New Year as well as to evict bad spirits from the premises(My cousins used to participate in the lion dance, but they quit already). Members of the family who are married also give red envelopes containing cash to junior members of the family, mostly children and teenagers(The part I love the most, receiving money! Luckily I'm not married yet or anytime soon). Business managers also give bonuses through red envelopes to employees for good luck and wealth(This doesn't happen for all business managers, only those that believe in the act or they are generous).
If you are really interested to find out more, click here.
If you want to see the celebration and not from countries and territories with significant Chinese populations, visit your local Chinatown! BTW>This year's Chinese New Year is on February 3rd.
Have a nice day!!
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