Chinese New Year is the most important traditional Chinese holiday. In China,
it is also known as the Spring Festival. New Year celebrations run from Chinese New Year’s Eve,
the last day of the last month of the lunar calendar, to the Lantern Festival
on the 15th day of the first month. Customs and traditions concerning
the celebration of the Chinese New Year vary widely from place to place.
However, New Year’s Eve is usually an occasion for Chinese families
to gather for the annual reunion dinner. It is also traditional for every family
to thoroughly clean the house in order to sweep away ill fortune and to bring in good luck.
And doors will be decorated with red couplets with themes of health,
wealth and good luck. Other activities include lighting firecrackers,
giving money in red envelopes, and visiting relatives and friends.