Happy Chinese New Year

Sunday, February 1st, 2009
by Tina H

The Chinese New Year is important as comparing to the Christmas to the United States. Family members would get together to celebrate this meaningful holiday. People also get the chance to have a break during the whole celebration. The New Year’s coming stands for the old year’s passed by, and also showing the Spring is coming. This year, the Chinese (Lunar) New Year is on Monday, January 26, 2009, for people to wear the new clothes, stands for the coming New Year with good luck.

What is Chinese New Year? It began thousands of years ago. At first, they mentioned that “year” is a monster, who harmed people and distract the whole town. People were extremely annoyed by the monster. Soon they figured out the three items that the Year Monster most feared are the color “red”, the “fire”, the “bomb sounds”. As a result, people started to hang the red wood and fire up the firecrackers, and stayed up all night to make noise sounds to scare the monster.

Then people started to celebrate the New Year within fifteen days. The first day they usually worship the gods to bless for a peaceful and wishful year, by Placing some traditional food and candles to worship the gods. People stayed up all night playing cards and chatting along the table with the whole family after accomplish this process. The second day, people would get together to bless others the best wishes and good luck. Additionally, the adult would give the children a red envelope with money to state a new year’s coming. The third day represents a not auspicious day, so people should stay at home either with their family or invite friends for a party. The fifth day refers to the “five God of wealth”, so abundant stores chose to open their stores that day and hang the red paper with propitious words blessing the good luck for the stores. Then they would also fire up the firecrackers to celebrate. The ninth day was the Jade Emperor’s day. People would stand in the age order with formal dressing and worship the gods and burn the gold papers. Finally, the most marvelous day, the fifteenth day, is the lantern festival. People would build and bring the own lantern and also attend some activities, such as guessing the lantern puzzles, and some word puzzles. People would eat the rice dumplings.

Fire up the firecrackers

Adults are giving the red envelope

Steamed Radish Cake

Spring Festival couplets

Lantern

Dragon and lion dancing

Not only for the celebration in these fifteen days, but also people would do some meaningful preparation for the New Year. People would paste Spring Festival couplets with happiness words on the door, the wall in the room. Some people would cut some pretty papers into fantastic shapes. Additionally, family would get together to eat some lucky food and watch the dragon and lion dancing.

There is also a transition from the traditional celebration for the Chinese New Year and the celebration with the new media. With the internet, people will send their friends and family their wishes cards online. Abundant puzzle games will be available online for everyone to enjoy. There are also the web cameras for those family members that cannot be in their own countries to still have a reunion meal.

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