List of Family Traditions During the Chinese New Year
Chinese New Year is among the most significant celebrations in China. The exact date differs from year to year, but the holiday is celebrated in January or February. Upholding traditions on Chinese New Year is of paramount importance, since the rituals observed during this time are believed to determine whether the family will have good luck throughout the coming year. Each year is thought to be influenced by its correlating animal in the Chinese zodiac, and to take on the "qualities" of that symbol.
Other People Are Reading
-
Rituals for Luck
-
It's important to begin the New Year's celebration by cleaning the home. Chinese people have traditionally believed that this sweeps away the bad luck from the previous year. Also, New Year's is the time to break out that lucky red shirt, since in the Chinese culture, red is symbolic of success, happiness, and love. Finally, giving and eating orange fruits such as mandarins or tangerines is a tradition because they are symbolic of wealth, and eating them is believed to assure prosperity for all in the New Year.
New Year's Feast
-
Rituals observed by families during the Chinese New Year are all about attracting success, luck, and prosperity, and the foods people eat on Chinese New Year's Eve are selected for their alleged powers in achieving this purpose. Long noodles are considered lucky, the longer the better, since they are believed to equate to a long life for the celebrants. The inclusion of a whole fish in the meal is done to attract prosperity. Eight treasure rice contains an embarrassment of lucky riches, including lotus seeds for a happy marriage, red plum for blessings, and cherry for a sweet life.
-
Red Envelopes
-
Red envelopes filled with money, known as "hong bao" in Mandarin, are given by employed adults to young children or to singles with no job. Even employed adults who aren't married are obligated to present young children with the hong bao. The red envelopes are in keeping wiith the Chinese belief that red is a color that attracts success and prosperity. The amount people give as a gift reflects their degree of intimacy wiith the recipient.
Chinese New Year Parade
-
One of the most dynamic family events on during the New Year's celebration is the parade, enacted in Chinatowns throughout the United States. The largest of these parades is held in San Francisco, where people of Chinese descent have preserved history through this annual ritual. The grand finale of the parade usually features a puppet-style dragon, animated by as many as 100 parade participants, elaborately decorated and often accompanied by a dramatic fireworks display.
-
References
Resources
- Photo Credit Jupiterimages/Goodshoot/Getty Images
