Celebration of the new year/Chinese new year

Celebration of the new year/Chinese new year

People celebrate the new year with their loved ones, by involving the traditions that are meant to bring success and luck in the upcoming year.

In many countries, the celebrations of the new year start on the evening of the 31st December that is New year's Eve, and remain continue to the early hours of the 1st January. In the united states, the most unique tradition of the new year is the dropping of a giant ball in New York City's Times Square at the blow of midnight. All around the world, millions of people can watch and enjoy the event as it has taken place since 1907 almost every year. In some countries, Traditions and celebrations of the new year represent joys and happiness for people. For example, pigs represent progress and prosperity in some cultures, in Cuba, Austria, Hungary, Portugal, and some other countries, pork appears on the New year's Eve table. Same as, rice pudding with an almond that is hidden inside to be served on new year's eve, therefore it is aid that whoever finds the nut can expect 12 months of the good life, happiness, and good fortune.

Chinese New Year:

Chinese new year is a holiday that celebrates the beginning of a new year according to the Chinese lunar calendar. The holiday of the new year is celebrated with big gatherings of the families, giving of gifts, eating of symbolic foods and display of the joyous decorations. People do focus on bringing good luck for the new year and the celebrations of the coming of the spring.

Each year, the Chinese new year can never on the same day, it falls between January 21st and February 20th. So some traditions that are associated with the new year is given below;

Cleaning houses and new clothes:

Before the new year, the Chinese families clean their houses because doing this is said to clear out any bad luck from the previous year and make the house ready to accept good luck for the coming year. The black color is not allowed to wear because it is the symbol of death, so the red color is the symbol of happiness for the coming days.

Decorating the house:

There is a custom of hanging up signs and posters on the windows and the doors with a Chinese word which is fu which is meant by happiness and luck.

New year eve's dinner:

In new year's eve's dinner, several specific foods are served. It is typical for a Chinese family to make eight to nine dishes for eve's dinner. Because the meaning of the word "eight" is "prosperity" and the meaning of the word "nine" is "long lasting".

 

Giving good luck gifts:

It is conventional grooming for adults to give children a little red envelope that is filled with money to symbolize wealth and prosperity for the coming year. Envelopes are not to be opened until the recipient has left the home of the giver.

Honoring the animals:

Every year of Chinese is also associated with one of the twelve animals of the Chinese zodiac. Some people believe that those born during the year of a particular animal may have the character traits of those animals.