ChineseNewYearandNewYear'sDay
ChineseNewYear
ChineseNewYear,alsoknownasSpringFestival,isthemostimportanttraditionalfestivalinChina.ItfallsonthefirstdayoftheChineselunarcalendarandlastsfor15days.Itisatimeforfamilyreunions,feasting,andcelebration.Duringthistime,peopletravelhometospendtimewiththeirfamilies,exchangegifts,andsharedeliciousfood.
TraditionsandCustoms
TherearemanytraditionsandcustomsassociatedwithChineseNewYear.Oneofthemostcommonisthepracticeofgivingoutredenvelopesfilledwithmoney.Thesearegivenasasymbolofgoodluckandtowardoffevilspirits.AnothercustomistocleanthehousethoroughlybeforetheNewYeararrivestosweepawayanybadluckfromthepreviousyear.Peoplealsodecoratetheirhomeswithlanterns,couplets,andauspicioussymbolstobringgoodluckandfortune.
FoodandDrink
ChineseNewYearisatimeforfeasting,andtherearemanytraditionaldishesassociatedwiththefestival.Oneofthemostpopularisdumplings,whicharesaidtoresemblegoldingotsandsymbolizewealth.Othertraditionaldishesincludefish,ricecakes,andhotpot.Populardrinksincludebaijiu,atypeofChineseliquor,andricewine.
NewYear'sDay
NewYear'sDayisaholidaycelebratedonJanuary1stinmanycountriesaroundtheworld.Itisatimeforreflection,goal-setting,andnewbeginnings.Insomecultures,itisbelievedtobeatimeofrenewedenergyandatimetomakeresolutionsforthecomingyear.
History
NewYear'sDayhasbeencelebratedsinceancienttimes,datingbacktotheBabyloniansandtheircelebrationofthenewyearinMarch.In46BC,JuliusCaesarintroducedtheJuliancalendaranddeclaredJanuary1stadayofcelebration.Sincethen,ithasbecomeamajorholidayinmanypartsoftheworld,celebratedwithparades,fireworks,andparties.
ResolutionsandTraditions
OneofthemostcommontraditionsassociatedwithNewYear'sDayisthepracticeofmakingresolutions.Peopleoftensetgoalsforthemselves,suchaslosingweight,exercisingmore,orquittingsmoking.Otherpopulartraditionsincludewatchingfireworks,singingAuldLangSyne,andwatchingtheballdropinTimesSquare.
CelebrationsAroundtheWorld
Inmanycountries,NewYear'sDayiscelebratedwithparades,parties,andotherfestivities.InScotland,forexample,peoplecelebratewithHogmanay,whichinvolvessinging,dancing,andthetraditionoffirst-footing,wherethefirstpersontoenterahomeaftermidnightonNewYear'sEvebringsgoodluckforthecomingyear.InSpain,peopleeat12grapesatmidnight,oneforeachstrokeoftheclock,tobringgoodluckforthecomingyear.
BothChineseNewYearandNewYear'sDayareimportantcelebrationsaroundtheworld,bringpeopletogetherwithlovedones,andprovidinganopportunitytolooktothefuturewithhopeandoptimism.Whetheryou'reenjoyingatraditionalChineseNewYearfeast,makingresolutionsforthecomingyear,orwatchingfireworkswithfriendsandfamily,theseholidaysareatimetocelebrate,reflect,andlookforwardtoallthegoodthingsthatthefutureholds.