China

Hello, or should I say nǐ hǎo (你好). China has a very interesting culture that is different compared to America and other countries. China has different holidays, foods, traditions, calendar, language, history, etc. One part of Chinese culture is Chinese New Year (新年快乐, Xīnnián kuàilè).

Chinese Lunar Calendar

The date of Chinese New Year changes each year because it is based on the lunisolar calendar (Chinese Lunar Calendar), compared to a solar calendar. It is based on the cycle of the moon and the Earth’s course around the sun. Majority of the time this holiday lands in late January or early February. The Chinese calendar follows a 12- year cycle, with each year a Chinese zodiac animal: 2019 is the year of the Pig. 2020 is the year of the rat on January 25. If you want to figure out what Chinese zodiac animal you are, you can check this link: Chinese-Zodiacs

Chinese New Year Activities

Chinese New Year (新年快乐, Xīnnián kuàilè), can be called many different names. Lunar New Year (农历新年, Nónglì xīnnián), because it is the first day of the lunar calendar. Or the Spring Festival (春节, Chūnjié), because even though the holiday lands in winter, it is to look forward to Springtime. During Chinese New Year. The traditions performed during this 15-day period are considered to bring good luck and a long life to the household/family. Specific things are done each day during this period if you want to know more about it,New Year Celebration

Public Celebrations

In Chinese cities on New Year’s Day you can see many traditional performances from dragon and lion dances, an imperial performance like during an emperor’s wedding, rare Chinese snacks, etc
Cleaning
Before the holiday comes, each household cleans their house thoroughly to get rid of the 晦气 (huì qì) which is the unlucky, or inauspicious breaths that gathered throughout the old year. Cleaning was also meant to satisfy the gods that come down from heaven to make their annual inspections.
Decorations
In China red is to be considered a lucky and auspicious color. Now, because of that during this celebration everywhere you turn you will see red, on the streets, in houses, and in workplaces. Paper making is an important part of the decorations. They would incorporate scrolls with lucky and positive messages printed on it, that are posted at the gates of each household to bring luck to the new year. Decorations like lanterns, couplets, pictures, etc. (of course in red) are also hanged all over the place. Normally public decorations are put up around a month before (to get people excited, like what we do with Christmas), and home decorations are traditionally put up during Chinese New Year’s Eve.) Next year, 2020, you will see many rat decorations since it is the year of the rat, for example red rat dolls, paintings with rats, etc. Reunion Dinner On Chinese New Year’s Eve, families come together even if they are far away, to be home to celebrate the festival with one another. The New Year’s Eve dinner is also known as the “reunion dinner” and it is considered the most important meal of the year in Chinese culture. After their reunion dinner, families will stay up late on New Year’s Eve for New Year’s Day to come (like how we count down the ball drop in New York Time Square). While waiting families would watch the Spring Festival Gala, while also sending red envelopes and short messages of luck to friends and co-workers on the phone via WeChat. Fireworks and Fire crackers When it hits midnight and turns to Chinese New Year, it has been a long tradition to set off billions of fireworks/firecrackers within the first minute (like how we set of fireworks and lights during our New Year celebration.) It is said that the firecrackers would also scare off evil spirits.