Chinese New Year- Sabrina

Chinese New Year 

Chinese New Year celebrates the beginning of a new year in the Chinese calendar. It is celebrated on the Chinese lunar new year, which falls anywhere between January 21 and February 20. It is also called the moon festival or the spring festival, because it is tied to the lunar and solar calendar. The festival lasts for 15 days. The earliest we know Chinese New Year was celebrated was in the 14th century BCE. In China it is known as the most important social and economic holiday. This celebration is surrounded in mythology. The legend says that the Chinese New Year started with a mythical beast who would eat the villagers. The villages protected themselves by putting food outside their doors. When they figured out the beast was scared of the color red and firecrackers, they decorated their doorways in red, set off firecrackers, and all wore red to protect themselves. After that the beast never bothered them. Now people still decorate their houses with red lanterns, red paper, set off firecrackers, and light incense. The traditional meal that is eaten on the Chinese New Year is called the Reunion dinner. This meal is made of special meats, and could be equivalent to the American's thanksgiving dinner. A whole fish stands for abundance, and a whole chicken stands for good luck. Some families make and eat dumplings together at 12:00 midnight, because it is said they bring good fortune to the household. Another thing that is eaten are long noodles, but in order to live a long life you can not cut the noodles while eating them. Another thing that people make are special new year cakes. There is a countdown to the new year that is aired on t.v., and when it is officially the new year they light firecrackers. They keep the doors closed, so that they can wait until the morning to open the doors. When they wait to open the doors until the morning, it is a ritual called, "opening the door of fortune." People also clean out their houses to get rid of the bad luck and ghosts, to make room for new things. They also might get a haircut or settle debts to start off the new year right. Red is the color of good luck, so most people wear red on the holiday. It is not good to wear black, because black is associated with death. During the celebration they greet people in a very loud and enthusiastic way, usually with specific words or phrases. Another way they send their wishes is by giving out red envelopes with gold characters printed on it. This holiday provides an excuse to get together and catch up with family. Chinese New Year is now celebrated in many countries all over the world, not just in China.