About Chinese New Year
Traditionally, the Chinese Lunar New Year begins with the sighting of the new moon. It
marks a new beginning where grudges are put aside and accounts settled. People wear new
clothes, clean their homes to sweep away all traces of bad luck from the previous year, and
cook enormous feasts. People also buy oranges and other fruit to symbolize prosperity and
good fortune. One of our favorite traditions is that children receive “lai see," lucky money in
red envelopes.Things that symbolize Chinese New Year:
- Lion Dance: Performed at New Year and other festivals, they are thought to scare away the bad luck. Two people are usually required to perform in the lion. It requires martial arts skills and hard practice.
- Firecrackers: Strings of firecrackers are set off to keep away the evil spirits.
- Drummers: Like the firecrackers, the drumming is supposed to keep away the evil spirits.
- Tangerines: A symbol of good luck for the New Year that is meant to be displayed and given as gifts. The word for tangerine in Chinese sounds like "luck."
- Colorful lanterns: Coinciding with the full moon, the Lantern Festival marks the end of the two-week New Year period. Lanterns can be auspicious characters or be in animal shapes.
marks a new beginning where grudges are put aside and accounts settled. People wear new
clothes, clean their homes to sweep away all traces of bad luck from the previous year, and
cook enormous feasts. People also buy oranges and other fruit to symbolize prosperity and
good fortune. One of our favorite traditions is that children receive “lai see," lucky money in
red envelopes.Things that symbolize Chinese New Year:
- Lion Dance: Performed at New Year and other festivals, they are thought to scare away the bad luck. Two people are usually required to perform in the lion. It requires martial arts skills and hard practice.
- Firecrackers: Strings of firecrackers are set off to keep away the evil spirits.
- Drummers: Like the firecrackers, the drumming is supposed to keep away the evil spirits.
- Tangerines: A symbol of good luck for the New Year that is meant to be displayed and given as gifts. The word for tangerine in Chinese sounds like "luck."
- Colorful lanterns: Coinciding with the full moon, the Lantern Festival marks the end of the two-week New Year period. Lanterns can be auspicious characters or be in animal shapes.
