Chinese New Year: celebration and traditions

The current celebration will begin on February 5 and will continue until February 20. The Year of the Yellow Earth Pig has arrived. Previously, the celebration lasted a whole month, but in the modern world, a month of holidays is too much. This year, the festivities will take 15 days.

Chinese New Year has a non-permanent date, as it depends on the lunar calendar. Therefore, the holiday is celebrated on one of the days in the period from January 21 to February 21. This holiday is associated with the beginning of spring: with the awakening of nature and the start of planting. It is believed that during the Chinese New Year, winter meets with spring and a new countdown begins.

During these two weeks, people are visiting friends and arranging magnificent celebrations. They exchange gifts. Traditionally, the Chinese exchange red envelopes with money and tangerines or oranges - food symbols of well-being. However, anything that symbolizes wealth will do. With these gifts, they wish the person well-being and prosperity next year. Also, there is enough time for fairs, masquerades, and open-air festivities!

The celebration starts with fireworks to scare away evil spirits from the harvest. Of course, in the modern world, it is only a tradition, but the Chinese carefully observe it.

Basic New Year preparations include such events:

• women arrange general cleaning, everything is well washed, since dust should not remain anywhere;
  
• old things are thrown away, freeing up space for something new;

• tangerines and other citrus fruits should represent well-being on the table;
• only elegant, clean and ironed clothes can be worn;
• the house is transformed with the help of garlands, lamps, other decorations. A hieroglyph of happiness, only turned upside down is placed on the door. The upside-down position means -“happiness has already come”!

You cannot cook anything on the 1st day of the new year, so everything should be prepared the day before. The family dines together with several generations gathered at the table.

The Chinese population always adheres to traditions. Each region has individual characteristics of the celebration, although common canons are also supported:

• you should wear something red;
• during all the days of the celebration fireworks are launched on the street, allowing to scare away evil spirits;
• red paper is placed on the windows as additional protection;
• on the 1st day of the new year, it is impossible to clean up since you can sweep away happiness from your home, you are not allowed to take out rubbish as well.

Chinese do not give expensive gifts to each other, but they can present some money in a scarlet envelope. Since 8 is a lucky number, there must be 8 bills. On the last day of celebrations, the Chinese traditionally light red lanterns. There should be plenty of food on the table because the Pig likes to eat well. You can cook a variety of salads; you can also serve pastries and fish dishes.

The Chinese use clothes to appease the animal patron of the year. Considering that the Year of the Yellow Earth Pig is coming, try to wear yellow, green or brown clothes and accessories - a color palette that will bring you closer to harmony with nature.

“Be at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let every new year find you a better man.” Benjamin Franklin