中国新年 Chinese New Year

Preparing for New Year’s Day
The principal themes in preparing for New Year’s day are new beginnings and prosperity for the new year.
In the days leading to Chinese New Year people might:
• This means that Chinese New Year will take place on February 10th this year.
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The Chinese Zodiac
In the Chinese Lunar Calendar, each year is named for an animal. Every 12 years the cycle begins again. Beginning with the rat, the wheel reads counterclockwise.
Did You Know That . . .
• Chinese New Year is celebrated for 15 days? • Each of these 15 days has special meaning and each day involves unique traditions • We will focus on three parts of this celebration . . .
Chinese New Year
The Spring Festival
The Spring Festival
• Chinese New Year is often called the Spring Festival Why? • Because Chinese New Year takes place on the first day of Spring according to the Lunar Calendar.
New Year’s Eve
New Year’s Eve
• New Year’s Eve is a time for families to gather together for elaborate dinners and fun • Family members who live elsewhere will make special efforts to attend these dinners
New Year’s Eve
• In fact, more people travel to be with their families for Chinese New Year’s Eve dinner than for almost any other holiday in the world. • More than 2 billion trips will be made by people during the 15 day celebration!
At the stroke of midnight, all doors and windows have to be open to welcome in the new year.
Fire Crackers
Firecrackers are set off to send out the old year and welcome in the new year.
1. New Year’s Eve and all the preparations that lead to it 1. New Year’s Day 1. The last day of the celebrations: The Lantern Festival
Preparing for New Year’s Celebrations
This year is the Year of the Horse.
Year of the Horse
Personality: energetic, active, cunning and has positive outlook on life. Lucky Colors: green, red, Purple. Lucky Numbers: 3, 4, 9.
Red Couplets
• 'Red Couplets’ are Chinese good luck sayings written on red paper.
• Some New Year couplets are intended to be pasted or pinned in special places such as the kitchen or doors, while some can be placed anywhere.
The Lunar Calendar
• The Lunar Calendar is based upon the appearance of the moon in our nightly skies. • Chinese New Year is determined by the Lunar Calendar. • Chinese New Year day takes place when the first ‘new moon’ appears after the winter solstice.
•clean their houses •buy new clothes •decorate with flowers
•get hair cuts
• They might express their wishes for prosperity and good luck by providing guests with candies and decorating the house with red couplets.