The-Spring-Festival-is-the-most-important-and-bigg

TheSpringFestivalisthemostimportantandbiggesttraditionalfestivalinChina.Notonlyforpeopletogettogetherwiththeirfamilies,theirfriends,butalsooffersthetimeandspaceforpeopletorelaxthemselves.Traditionally,theChinesecelebratetheSpringFestivalinthefollowingways:SpringPurchasing:peoplebeginpreparingfortheNewYear’spurchases.ThisiscalledSeeingtheNewYearin.EverybodygoesouttopurchasenecessitiesfortheNewYear.Materialsnotonlyincludedifferentkindsofgoodsandfoods,butalsovariousdecorations,newclothesandshoesforthechildrenaswellasgiftsfortheelderly,friendsandrelatives,areallonthelistofpurchasing.SpringCleaning:BeforetheNewYearcomes,peoplebegintocleantheirhousestobidfarewelltotheoldyearandusherinahappyandfreshnewyear.SpringDecorating:twobigredlanternscanberaisedonbothsidesofthefrontdoor.Redpaper-cuttingscanbeseenonwindowglassandbrightlycoloredNewYearpaintingswithauspiciousmeaningsmaybeputonthewall.Redcoupletsarepostedonthedoorsofpeople’shouses.Theysymbolizehappiness,prosperityandgoodluckintheNewYear.TheChinesecharacterfu(meaningblessingorhappiness)isamust.Thecharacterputonpapercanbepastednormallyorupsidedown,forinChinesethereversedfuishomophonicwithfucomes,bothbeingpronouncedasfudaole.NewYear'sFeast:SpringFestivalisatimeforfamilyreunion.PeopleattachgreatimportancetoSpringFestivalEve.Atthattime,allfamilymemberseatdinnertogether.Peoplefromnorthandsouthhavedifferentsayingsaboutthefoodtheyeatonthisspecialday.SouthernChineseeat“niangao(NewYearcakemadeofglutinousriceflour)onthisoccasion,becauseasahomophone,niangaomeanshigherandhighereveryyear.InnorthernChina,atraditionaldishforthefeastisJiaoziordumplingsshapedlikeacrescentmoon.Thisisagoodanddeliciousdinner.TheSpringFestivalGala:Afterthedinner,thewholefamilywillsittogether,chatting,playingcards,computergamesandwatchingTV.Inrecentyears,theSpringFestivalGalabroadcastonChinaCentralTelevisionStation(CCTV)isessentialentertainmentfortheChinesebothathomeandabroad.IthasdevelopedintoanoccasionthatmostChinesefindithardtoignoreattheNewYear’sEve.Accordingtocustom,eachfamilywillstayuptoseetheNewYearin.LightingFirecrackers:LightingFirecrackersistobeoneofthemostimportantcustomsintheSpringFestivalcelebration.Peoplethoughtthesplutteringsoundcouldhelpdriveawayevilspirits.Butconcerningthedangerandthenegativenoisesthatlightingfirecrackersmaybringthegovernmenthasbannedthispracticeinmanymajorcities.Butpeopleinsmalltownsandruralareasstillholdtothistraditionalcelebration.Rightastheclockstrike12o'clockmidnightofNewYear'sEve,citiesandtownsarelitupwiththeglitterfromfireworks,andthesoundcanbedeafeningandlively.LuckyMoney:ItisthemoneygiventokidsfromtheirparentsandgrandparentsasNewYeargift.Themoneyisbelievedtobringgoodluck,wardoffmonsters;hencethename”luckymoney.Parentsandgrandparentsfirstputmoneyinsmall,especiallymaderedenvelopeandgivetotheirkidsaftertheNewYear'sFeast.Itisoneofthekids’favoritethingsinSpringFestival.Springfestivaliswhatthekidslookforwardto…theymayhavefreetimefromstudying,theymayhavemanynicefoodstoeat,theymayhavenewclothestowear,theymayhavechancetoseetheirrelativesandfriends…Whatevertheydoduringthespringfestival,parentswouldgivethemextraandspecialfavor,eveniftheydosomethingwrong,parentswouldnotscoldthemduringthisfestival…theycangetsomesmallmoneyfromparents,grandparentsandotherrelativesontheSpringFestivalEveasagift.Thatwassomethingverytreasureforakidatthattime.NewYearGreetings:OnthefirstdayoftheNewYear,everybodywearsnewdressesandbegintovisitorwelcomefamily,friendsandlovedones.TheygreeteachotherHappyNewYearandHappySpringFestivalandinvitegueststodrinkteaandchatattheirhome.Onthesecondday,themarrieddaughtersshouldreturntotheirparents’hometocelebratetheday.TherearealotofactivitiesduringtheSpringFestivalincludingoperaandmovieperformancesliondancesandtemplefairs.Therearealsopeoplewhoprefertostayathomeandwatchtelevision.Ofcourse,ontheLanternFestival,watchingfestivelanternsandeating“tangyuan”arealsothetraditionalmovements.ThewaysofSpringFestivalcelebrationarechangingalongwiththestandardofliving.Forinstance,travelinghasbecominganewfashionofSpringFestivalcelebration.