How to Celebrate Chinese New Year's

The traditional Chinese New Year celebration lasts fifteen days, and each one of them is dedicated to particular activities. It begins on the first day of the lunar calendar, so the exact date of the start of the celebration varies. There many ways you can celebrate the Chinese New Year. Here are some of them.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Red and gold paper items
• Flowers including peach blossoms, narcissus and chrysanthemum
• Chinese lanterns
• Candy, dried fruits and other foods
• Red clothing

1. Give your house a thorough cleaning in the days before the New Year to sweep away bad luck, and then don’t clean for the first few days of the New Year, so you don’t sweep away good fortune!

2. Decorate your home with traditional Chinese decorations. Liberally use red and gold to symbolize wealth and good luck, and flowers such as peach blossoms for good luck, chrysanthemum for longevity and narcissus.

3. Gather your family on Chinese New Year's Eve for a festive meal. Include a dish of Chinese dumplings and hide a coin in one—whoever gets the dumpling with the coin will experience good luck all year.

4. Pay a visit to the oldest member of your family on the first day of the celebration to demonstrate your respect.

5. Pamper your dogs on the second day—this is traditionally the birthday of all dogs, so take yours on a long walk or give them an extra treat.

6. Welcome the God of Wealth into your home on the fifth day with a traditional Chinese meal.

7. Eat noodles and fish on the seventh day to promote longevity and success. According to Chinese tradition, the seventh day is also the birthday of all humans.

8. Celebrate the Lantern Festival on the fifteenth night by attending the Chinese New Year's parade if locals hold one in your town.

Tips & Warnings

• In 2007 the Chinese New Year festivities begin on February 18.
• The celebration is also known as the Spring Festival, because it coincides with the beginning of spring on the Chinese calendar.
• Prepare a “tray of togetherness” to offer guests who stop by—this is a platter of eight different types of food such as dried fruits, nuts and candies.
• Wear red clothing throughout the fifteen days of celebrations to ward off evil spirits and bad luck during the coming year.
• If celebrating this holiday is something new to you, don’t worry about making everything perfect—above all, have fun!

[Haoie]

on 8/20/2008 Chinese new year is great. It coincides with a number of other festivals, too.