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  Did you know ….. that Chinese New Year for 2008 is approaching soon!
When. On 7 February 2008, Chinese from all over the world will be celebrating the year of Rat. This is the first day of the first month on the Lunar calendar. Chinese festivals are based on the lunar calendar. Often the dates of these festivals do not fall on the same day or even same month on the Western or Gregorian calendar. Chinese New Year day normally falls on the month of January or February on the Gregorian calendar. In addition to China, countries with large population of Chinese such as Taiwan, Singapore, Hong Kong and Malaysia, Chinese New Year day is a public holiday – everyone takes a rest and celebrate the festival with family!
Preparation. Lots of activities take place during the weeks and days leading up to the big day. Many Chinese households will spend time spring cleaning and preparing food. Bad luck from the previous year is to be all cleaned and swept away. New, brightly coloured (especially red) clothes are sewn or bought for members of the household. Red banners with lucky Chinese words are put on the door frame. Red decorations are also placed around the house. In Australia, many Chinese/Asian grocery shops will put on heaps of Chinese New Year candies, snacks and biscuits for sale.
Eve of the New Year. The New Year Eve family dinner is a very important event for the Chinese. Even though generations had past for many Chinese families who have now settled outside China, in countries such as Australia, Canada, America, Singapore and Malaysia, this annual family reunion dinner is still one that attendance is almost compulsory! Some even travel far to come home to celebrate this event and to catch up with the loved ones. Many would stay up late at night to welcome the arrival of the New Year. There is an old belief that if you stay up late, your parents will have a longer life!
New Year arrives. Chine New Year is a time to visit the extended families.  Grandparents, aunties and uncles will be greeted with good wishes and children will receive red packets (Hongpao) from them. The red packet is a token of good luck and it contains some money. Often the ‘younger’ family will visit the ‘older’ family, with grandparents to be visited first. While it is not a public holiday in Australia, many Chinese will arrange to take a day off work to celebrate the New Year.
The New Year greeting. Practise saying this: It will sure earn you a big smile! Remember NOT to ….. You are not to clean the house on New Year’s Day, otherwise all the good luck will be cleaned and washed away! No knives or scissors to be used too as they may cut off good luck. And remember not to say anything bad or evil, don’t start an argument.
New Year lucky food. Many special ‘lucky’ foods are prepared for the New Year.  Preserved kumquats (limes) are eaten as snack. Mandarins or oranges are exchanged during family visits. These fruits, with its golden colour represent gold for prosperity. Fish is served during the family reunion dinner. Some Chinese families will serve only vegetarian meals on the first day of New Year. Dumplings (or Jiaozi) is one favourite New Year food in some parts of China. Tong-Yuan is another favourite snack for Chinese New Year. It is made of flour, shaped into a ball with a sugar-lump or sweet filling in the centre. Chinese New Year Sticky Rice Cake (Nian-Kou)
New Year Fun! In Australia, Lion dance parade is often organised for the first weekend of the Chinese New Year in China Town. Chinese Restaurants will also arrange for the lion to visit to the store, to bring good luck and prosperity. Buddhist temples in town are packed with visitors lighting joss sticks and say prayers.
The end of celebration. The last day of the New Year is called the Lantern Festival, with many families putting up lanterns in shapes of aniamls and flowers at night. Little children will carry the lantern and parade around town. After fifteen days of celebrating the Chinese New Year festival, the party has come to an end! For more Chinese cultural information, visit http://www.chinapage.com/main2.html What sign in the Chinese Zodiac are you?Find out more: http://www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/CNY/Rat/Default.asp |
