Chinese New Year, also known ‘Spring Festival’, is the most important of the traditional Chinese festivals. Chinese New Year always falls in the months of January or February, and each chinese new year is represented by 1 of the 12 creatures of the Chinese Zodiac – 2013 is the year of the Snake.
After Christmas each year, the Christmas decorations come down in all the malls, and are quickly replaced with Chinese New Year decorations of lanterns, cherry blossoms, orange-trees and lots of red colour. In the lead-up to Chinese New Year distinct classical spring festival music is played in public places, most commonly the bowed stringed instrumental style.
Chinese New Year is celebrated in China, as well as in some countries and territories with significant Chinese population; such as Philippines, and also in Chinatowns elsewhere. Chinese New Year is considered a major holiday for the Chinese and has had influence on the lunar new year celebrations of its geographic neighbors.
The most important element of Chinese New Year is the reunion dinner which is held on the eve of the New Year. This is the time when all family members will come for a meal together in the parents or eldest brother’s home, or nowadays in restaurants as well. Food will include such items as pigs, ducks, chicken and sweet delicacies. The family will end the night with firecrackers. 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. More details please head to http://www.chinatourguide.com/chinese_new_year/index.html.
Leave a comment