In most countries, people celebrate the New Year’s Eve on Dec, the 31st. But in some eastern countries, the celebrations take place on the other dates. Thus, in China, Vietnam, Malaysia, South Korea, Taiwan, Mongolia and Indonesia the New Year is celebrated in accordance with the lunar calendar on the first day of the lunar year. In 2019 the Chinese New Year dates are Feb, the 5th –the 19th. The Chinese New Year’s Eve is on Feb, the 4th.
The Story of Chinese New Year
As you can see, the Chinese New Year end is only on Feb, the 19th, and this is why. The Chinese have the New Year celebrations divided into 3 parts: Little Year, Spring Festival and Lantern Festival. Each other having a lot of traditions and special events.
The origins of the New Year celebrations in China date back to as early as the Shang Dynasty (1766 BC – 1122 BC), though some historians say the first celebrations could be held even earlier – in the period of Emperor Yao and Shun’s (~2300 BC). At that time the date of the celebration could vary from mid-winter to spring.
Chinese New Year Animals
Everyone knows about the Chinese Zodiac Animals, and numerous statuettes, souvenirs, and gifts with the symbols of the year traditionally appear on the shelves of the shops all over the world. According to the legend, the Jade Emperor decreed that the animals should take part in the race, and the 12 who are the first to finish the race would have a year devoted to them. The rat came the first through cheating (on an ox’s back). We are sure that the variation of this legend is known in almost any corner of the world.
The symbol of the Chinese New Year 2019 is the Pig. The year 2019 will also go under the power of Earth. If you were born on a year of Pig, your lucky flowers are hydrangeas and daisies, and your lucky colors are yellow, brown, gold and grey.
Chinese New Year Calendar
The Chinese New Year calendar starts a few days before the New Year’s Eve. This year it was on January, the 28th. This day is also known as Little Year and is devoted to prayer ceremonies, and cleaning and sweeping the house to move away bad luck.
The main Chinese New Year celebrations were yesterday, on Feb, the 4th. On New Year’s Eve the families gather together for the main meal of the year – the reunion dinner. After it, the kids get red envelopes (there is money the parents in China give to their kids in them.)
The following 15 days following the New Year’s Eve are known as Spring Festival. It starts with the firecrackers people start off. Then each following day has its meaning and traditional dishes. The Chinese New Year celebrations finish with the Lantern Festival. This year it will fall on the Feb, the 19th. The preparation of the Lantern Festival starts several days before it. People make colorful lanterns and write riddles on them.
Chinese New Year Traditions
As you can see, the Chinese pay much attention to the New Year celebrations. Special ceremonies, traditional festive foods, and activities are an inseparable part of the Chinese New Year. Main traditions are connected with family life, beliefs and hopes of the people. Traditional dishes that date back to ancient times play a very important part in the celebrations.
Chinese New Year Foods
Little Year. People eat sugar melons made of malt, tofu soup, and baked wheat cakes.
Day of the Sheep (this year it is celebrated on Feb, the 8th). In Chinese mythology, it’s considered that the sheep were created on the 4th day of the creation of the world. The welcoming of 5 gods takes place on Day of Sheep. It requires 3 tables of foods: kumquat and sugar canes on the 1st table, the cakes on the second one and whole pig, soup, whole chicken and whole fish on the 3rd.
The most famous Chinese New Year dishes are rice balls and dumplings (a dough wrapped around the filling). Chinese New Year cookies are very nutritious, very sweet and often come with sesame seeds. The must-to-try are sesame balls, peanut cookies and Nian Gau (the cookies made of sesame seeds and milk). The traditional Chinese New year cake is made of made with glutinous rice flour and brown sugar and has a jelly-like texture.
The other Chinese New Year desserts include the fruit cake, love letters, the prosperity cake and Kampar Kai Chai Paeng (a spicy cookie).
Top 10 Chinese New Year Facts
- 1/6 of the world’s people celebrate the Chinese New Year. Quite impressive, isn’t it?
- It’s the longest public holiday in China, everybody travels a lot, so make sure to book a hotel and buy all the tickets beforehand if you plan to visit China for the New Year celebrations. Book your flights and hotels here and save from 2% of the purchase cost and more.
- Every family sets off fireworks on New Year’s Eve.
- The traditional greeting on the days of the celebrations is “Guo Nian Hao” which means “Happy New Year”.
- The Chinese New Year color is red. It symbolizes happiness, wealth and prosperity.
- Kids get red envelopes and wear new clothes for the celebrations.
- You mustn’t sweep on the New Year’s Day not to sweep out your wealth and fortune.
- The famous red dragon often seen at the celebrations is originally a monster called ‘Nian’. It came to eat people, and the only thing that could kick it away was the red light.
- 600 million digital red envelopes were sent in China in 2018.
- You can find a lucky coin inside a dumpling. The one who finds it will get the best luck in the next year.
- Traditional Chinese New Year clothes include qipay, red clothes, and red lucky underwear.
Chinese New Year Gifts and Cards
There are both traditional and modern ways to send your relatives and friends the New Year congratulations. As said above, a traditional gift is a red envelope. Chinese New Year gift baskets contain mainly fruit, wine, and sweets and are made in traditional hues of red. Don’t know what to give as a present for Chinese New year? Choose Red wine, chocolates, and fine tea, and your present will always be appreciated.
Chinese New Year activities include making traditional red lanterns, drum crafts, Chinese New Year games and making wish cookies.
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