Chinese New Year
Firecrackers pop and crackle! Cymbals crash! Drums roll! A giant dragon comes zigzagging down the street decorated with hundreds of sparkling sequins.
Chinese people are celebrating the start of the New Year. Friends and family get together for meals. Adults give children little red envelopes with lucky money. And a colourful parade marks the end of several days of festivities.
Chinese New Year, also known as Lunar New Year or Spring Festival, is China’s most important festival. It is also the most important celebration for families and a week of an official public holiday.
The Chinese New Year begins on the date of the first new moon between January 21 and February 19. This is because the ancient Chinese calendar is based on the moon. Chinese people around the world observe the holiday. Vietnamese and Koreans also celebrate the New Year at this time.
In many Chinese cities, from New Year’s Day, traditional performances can be seen: dragon dances, lion dances, and imperial performances like an emperor’s wedding. A great variety of traditional Chinese products are on offer, and rarely seen Chinese snacks. City parks and temple fairs are the places to go for this.
Every street, building, and house where Spring Festival is celebrated is decorated with red. Red is the main color for the festival, as red is believed to be an auspicious Color.
Red Chinese lanterns hang in streets; red couplets are pasted on doors; banks and official buildings are decorated with red New Year pictures depicting images of prosperity.
Picture Credit : Google