Chinese Festivals (By Lee Xiu Bin from Changle No. 1 Middle School)

Chinese Festivals (张亮莉)
Today I want to say something about festivals, and especially Chinese festivals. In
fact, every country has its own traditional festivals that are special to its people, and
some of which have a very long history.
Everybody likes festivals, and so do us students. We enjoy festivals because
festivals always mean a vacation lasting from several days to several weeks. When it
comes to Chinese traditional festivals, I prefer the Spring Festival also called the lunar
New Year.
Chinese Spring Festival takes place at the end of lunar December when it is very
cold. And the Spring Festival can be seen as the beginning of a year. Before the
festival, the Chinese people are always very busy preparing for this most important
event for a year. Housewives will go to markets to buy fresh vegetables, meat,
chickens, fishes, new clothes for themselves and for all the family members, and all
the other things necessary for the New Year. These few days before the Spring
Festival are the busiest and most important for those businessmen, some of whom
depend on these few days to earn most of their money for a year. Men will stay home
doing some heavy work, such as doing a thorough sweep-up up and down the whole
house as well as the yard if there’s one. It’s believed that a complete sweep-up of the
house can sweep away the bad luck of the past year.
On the New Year’s Eve, all the family members will get together and eat a family
dinner around one big table. Usually people will prepare the best dishes for this
evening family dinner which often consists of chickens, fishes, green vegetables and
some other delicious food. And family members will drink to wish each other good
luck in the New Year. Even women who don’t drink at all will drink a little on this
special occasion. Really this is a time of a family feast and atmosphere of happiness
and joy fills every family on this evening. People forget their worries, put aside their
work, and talk happily with family members, enjoying this joyous and happy
atmosphere of this special moment.
The next day is the first day of the New Year, which is very important for the
Chinese people because it means bad luck has passed with the past year and good luck
is coming. On this day people will dress up with new clothes and greet each other by

saying；GUO NIAN HAO meaning happy new year. Children will get lucky money
from their grandparents or parents in red paper that is believed to have the power to
drive away bad luck and bring them blessings.
On the streets there are performances of dragon or lion dances. Often this is done
by part-time actors or actresses to add to festive atmosphere and the performances are
usually wonderful and attractive.
This is the Chinese traditional Spring Festival. What fun!