There is no doubt that the Spring Festival is the most important an celebrated in China, which is very similar to Christmas in west countries. Spring Festival is a festival for family reunion. People living far from home go back and get together with their families. The Spring Festival falls on the 1st day of the 1st lunar month which means the end of an old year and the beginning of a new one. And the Chinese government now stipulates people have seven days off for the Chinese Lunar New Year. Theose days off are always during the winter break for students, so it doesn’t really matter as I was a student there. Moreover, since China has 56 minorities, although all the minorities celebrate the Spring Festival almost at the same day as Han people, they have different customs. In general, Chinese people celebrate the Spring Festival in the following ways.
The 23rd day of the 12th lunar month is called Preliminary Eve. People offer sacrifice to the kitchen god at that time. Now however, most families make delicious food to enjoy themselves. Then all the department stores and markets will be super busy when the New Year’s coming, because everyone is going to purchase for “New Year Goods”. That we called goods for the New Year are not only grocery but also various decorations, new clothes and shoes for the children as well as gifts for the elderly, friends and relatives.
Then people begin decorating their clean rooms featuring an atmosphere of rejoicing and festivity. Doors will be pasted with Spring Festival couplets, highlighting Chinese calligraphy with black characters on red paper. The Chinese character "Fu" which means blessing will be pasted upside down. Because in Chinese, the "reversed Fu" is homophonic with "happiness comes". Whats more, Red paper-cuttings can be put on window or wall and brightly colored New Year paintings with auspicious meanings may be put on the wall. People believe that those decorations can bring house owners' good wishes for the New Year in lucky and health.
There is another important part in Chinese culture----food. Of course, food is indispensable in Spring Festival. At the Spring Festival Eve, all the family members will sit and eat dinner together. The meal is much more luxurious than usual. In the North of China, people usually making dumplings for their New Year meal. After the dinner, family will sit together and waiting for the celebration broadcast on China Central Television Station (CCTV). That is almost become a new custom in recent years. Then at the midnight, people might go out to see fireworks. Finally, the most excited part in Chinese New Year is that elder generations will give child a red envelope with “Lucky money” in it. Although I’m not a kid anymore, I still enjoy the atmosphere in Spring Festival. I enjoy every moment of time with my family.
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