Hi Folks,I'd like to introduce our culture and traditions to you about Spring Festival in China.In China, the New Year also called Spring Festival, it is acounted according toLunar Calendar. If you are Chinese, you'll know there are two kinds of dates acounted, solar calendar and lunar calendar. Usually, the date is apart almost a month between solar and lunar, for example yesterday it was 24th Dec by lunar but by solar it was 7th Feb.With reference to the date of 24th Dec, it is also a festival before New Year called " off year" and the tradition is that most families will clean houses to make it so clean and tidy that we'll welcome the New Year's coming. Of course, we also need have a splendid lunch that day.What's more, due to the Spring Festival is coming nearer and nearer so more and more people working or actually living in the cities are moving to their hometown for celebration the festival with their families. I think it is our culture and tradition people always think we have to go home and get-together with our families in the New Year, especially for those older people."Spring Festival" is the biggest festival in our mind so people are quite excited now. Today, it is on 25 Dec. National holidays start from 30 Dec,2009 to 6th Jan, 2010 and then we'll start work on 7th Jan. Some people took a leave for several days and have been at their hometown, some have gone and some are waiting for going hometown. Every year at this moment, there are a huge crowd of people crowding at the train stations and waiting for their trains during fifteen days before New Year of 1th Jan, As we all know, China is the biggest population's nation so you can imagine the situation on transportation and that's why I had been back to my hometwon on 1 Jan, 2009 of solar calendar so I won't go home in this New year, of course there are also some other reasons.Now, I am telling you about our Spring festival.Spring festival actually starts from the night of 30 Dec, 2009 to 15 Jan, 2010.There are several things we'll do on 30 Dec, 2009 are like posting Spring Festival couplets, posting New Year's paintings, New Year's Dinner and New Year's money etc. In the New Year's Eve, my mother is always ready for a delicious dinner for us and then there are my mother, father, grandma, grandpa, uncle, aunti, bothers and sisters and I around the big talbe enjoying it. That's really fantastic, I really like that I did before. At night, children will play fireworks after dinner and wait for the New Year's Money until midnight 24:00, at the same time, many many people start lighting firecrackers to welcome the New Year which is indicated we are going into the year of 2010, so we will go to bed after that.On 1st Jan, it is the first day of the New Year and we usually have breakfast before the dawn which is also very splendid, so we have to get up early around 5:00 am in the morning and my mother is the earliest one for preparing our breakfast. We will go to visit our neighbors and relatives near my house after breakfast when it is at day break. There is something very important is that you have to call those people politely when you will meet them, for instance I have to call " mom" when I meet my mather, sometimes i forget because i'm still sleepy and in my dreams because i went to bed too later last night although i am out of bed. If I didn't do that, my mother will soon say " you are a year older than before already, so you should know how to be more polite". Then I will quickly say ' mom' out before she don't finish her words.On 1st Jan, my parents have to give bonus to children when we go to our relatives, also i will get bonus from my relatives when I was a child, lol. Usually,we will have lunch in my grandma's house and we will have some fun like playing cards or playing chess etc in the afternoon after lunch.On 2nd Jan, for girls who are married, the day is you have to visit your parents and get together with your brothers and sisters. I really enjoy that time when I get together with my cousins. Time flys, for now, most of us are adults.From 3rd Jan to 14 Jan, we are visiting our relatives who live far away from our home. Until 15 Jan, it is lantern festival dumplings and we will make some dumplings by ourselves.That's all. I'm from countryside, we always spend our spring holidays like that. In the cities, I suppose the people may spend their holidays a little different.Anyway, how about your New Year?
Hi, I'm Vietnamese and in Vietnamese we also celebrate the Lunar New Year like yours, Thanks for your post, this time we are all happy when we come back to family.
Happy Lunar new year! wish you and your family always happy and successful!
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Thanks. The same to you!
Happy Lunar new year! wish you and your family always happy and successful!