Chinese New Year

Chinese New Year is a time for feasting, family reunions and fun! Each year, Asians throughout the world spend weeks preparing for the 15-day celebration, officially called the Spring Festival. In 2008, Chinese New Year falls on February 7th. It is year 4706, the year of the Rat according to the Chinese lunar calendar. Chinese New Year starts with the New Moon on the first day of the new year and ends on the full moon 15 days later. The 15th day of the new year is called the Lantern Festival, which is celebrated at night with lantern displays and children carrying lanterns in a parade. There are also some taboos and superstitions of Chinese New Year. I will elaborate further in the next paragraph.

There is a phrase that my family always uses during Chinese New Year's eve is ''Bringing In the New Year and Expelling the Old''. Shooting off firecrackers on New Year's Eve is the Chinese way of sending out the old year and welcoming in the New Year. On the stroke of midnight on New Year's Eve, every door in the house, and even windows, have to be open to allow the old year to go out. Taboos and superstitious during Chinese New Year, examples, all debts had to paid by this time. Nothing should be lent on this day, as anyone who does so will be lending all the year. Back when tinder and flint were used, no one would lend them on this day or give a light to others. Everyone should refrain from using foul language and bad or unlucky words. Negative terms and the word "four" (Si), which sounds like the word for death, are not to be uttered. Death and dying are never mentioned and ghost stories are totally taboo. References to the past year are also avoided as everything should be turned toward the New Year and a new beginning. Red clothing is preferred during this festive occasion. Red is considered a bright, happy color, sure to bring the wearer a sunny and bright future. It is believed that appearance and attitude during New Year's sets the tone for the rest of the year. Giving hong bao or red packet is yet another tradition. A Red packet is simply a red envelope with money in it, which symbolizes luck and wealth. Red packets are typically handed out to younger generation or unmarried people by their parents , grandparents, and relatives.

On the first day of Chinese New Year, it is a time when families visit the oldest members of their extended family, usually their parents, grandparents or great-grandparents. When visiting a house or family for Chinese New Year, it is tradition for the family to display a spread of chinese delicacies for the guests to eat. These delicacies includes mandarin oranges, melon seeds, nian gao which is also known as new year cake, and lastly roasted barbecue pork also known as bakkwa. The second day of the Chinese New Year is for married daughters to visit their birth parents. Traditionally, daughters who have been married may not have the opportunity to visit their birth families frequently. On the second day, the Chinese pray to their ancestors as well as to all the gods. They are extra kind to dogs and feed them well as it is believed that the second day is the birthday of all dogs. The third and fourth day of the Chinese New Year are generally accepted as inappropriate days to visit relatives and friends due to the following schools of thought.

There are many superstitions for Chinese New Year. In order to have good luck, New Year's Day, we are not suppose to wash our hair because it would mean we would have washed away good luck for the New Year. Do not use knives or scissors on New Year's Day as this may cut off fortune. The entire house should be cleaned before New Year's Day. On New Year's Eve, all brooms, brushes, dusters, dust pans and other cleaning equipment are put away. Sweeping or dusting should not be done on New Year's Day for fear that good fortune will be swept away. After New Year's Day, the floors may be swept. Beginning at the door, the dust and rubbish are swept to the middle of the parlor, then placed in the corners and not taken or thrown out until the fifth day. At no time should the rubbish in the corners be trampled upon. In sweeping, there is a superstition that if you sweep the dirt out over the threshold, you will sweep one of the family away. Also, to sweep the dust and dirt out of your house by the front entrance is to sweep away the good fortune of the family; it must always be swept inwards and then carried out, then no harm will follow. All dirt and rubbish must be taken out the back door. The first person one meets and the first words heard are significant as to what the fortunes would be for the entire year. It is a lucky sign to see or hear songbirds or red-colored birds or swallows.

Basically, Chinese New Year is very popular and being celebrated in many parts of the world because it marks a new beginning not just for the chinese but for everyone. More importantly, the meaning of Chinese New Year is to get together with family members with friends and just have a good time, and whats best for childrens? Collecting HONG BAO.