Chinese new Year

                   Chinese new Year:

. Chinese new year is a holiday that celebrates the beginning of a new year according to the chinese lunar  calender.Is is considered to be one of the most important holidays for chinese families.
. The holidayis celebrated with big family gatherings, Gift giving, Eating of the symbolic foods and display  of the festive decorations all focused on bringing good  luch for the new year and celebrating
the coming of spring.In china the lunar calender  is still used to determine traditional holidays like chinese new year.
. Since the lunar calender is based on the phases of the moon which has a shorter cycle then the sun,
chinese new year is never on the same day each year, buy typically falls some  January 21 where  between and Febrary 20.The celebration can actually last up to a month.  Here are some traditions accociated with chinese new year.

Cleaning Houses and New Cloths

. Prior to the first day of the new year it is customary for families to thoroughly clean thrie houses.
Doing this is said to clean out any bad luch from the previous year and make the house ready to accept good luck for the coming year.

. All cleaning must be finished before the new year day so there is no chance of accidentally
throwning out the good fortune of the new year.Wearing black is not allowed due to its association with  death,however,wearing red is encouraged as the colour is associated with warding off bad spirits.

Decorating The house
. Buying flowers for the home is also common place since they symbolize the coming of spring and a new beginnering.

New Year EVe Dinner
. It is typical for a chinese family to make einght to nine dishes for the new year eve
dinner because in chinese language the word einght means "Proserity" and the word nine
means "long-lasting".

Giving Good Luck Gift

. It is a traditional practise for adults to give childern little red envelopes filled
with money in order to sumbolize wealth and proserity for the coming year.
. It is also common for elders to present red packets to inmarried memebers of the family
Envelops are not to be opened until the recipent has left the home of the giver.

Honouring The Animal

. Every year is associated with one of the twelve animals of the chinese zodias.
These animals are often represented in decorations. some people believe that those
born during the year of a particular animal may have the character trailts of that
animal.

Note

. thanks for the year that passes, and reinvigorate themselves for the coming year.