Unit 1 Festivals around the world

Food names 团圆饭 family reunion dinner 年夜饭 the dinner on New Year's Eve 饺子 Jiao-zi; dumpling 汤圆 Tang-yuan; 年糕 Nian-gao; rice cake; New Year cake 红枣 red dates 西瓜子 water melon seed 莲子 lotus seed 莲藕 lotus root 糖 candy

Activities 春联 Spring Festival couplets 剪纸 paper-cuts 年画 New Year paintings 烟花 fireworks 爆竹 firecrackers 舞狮 lion dance 舞龙 dragon dance 灯谜 riddles written on lanterns 灯会 exhibit of lanterns 守岁 staying-up 拜年 pay New Year's call

Popular Festivals and Holidays around the World New Year’s Day 元旦（ 1 月 1 日） Valentine’s Day 情人节（ 2 月 14 日） Lantern Festival 元宵节（阴历正月十五） International Women’s Day 妇女节（ 3 月 8 日） April Fool’s Day 愚人节（ 4 月 1 日） Pure Brightness Day 清明节 （ 4 月 5 日） Easter 复活节（春分月圆后第一个星期日） International Labour Day 劳动节（ 5 月 1 日） Mother’s Day 母亲节（ 5 月第二个星期日） Youth Day 青年节（ 5 月 4 日）

International Children’s Day 儿童节 Father’s Day 父亲节（ 6 月第三个星期日） Dragon Boat Festival 端午节（阴历五月初五） Party’s Day 建党日（ 7 月 1 日） Army’s Day 建军节（ 8 月 1 日） Teachers’ Day 教师节（ 9 月 10 日） Mid-autumn Festival 中秋节（阴历八月十五） National Day 国庆节（ 10 月 1 日） Halloween 鬼节（万圣节前夕， 10 月 31 日夜） Thanksgiving Day 感恩节（美国， 11 月最后一个 星期四）

Christmas Eve 平安夜（ 12 月 24 日夜） Christmas Day 圣诞节（ 12 月 25 日） New Year’s Eve 除夕（阴历 12 月 29 或 30 日） Spring Festival 春节（阴历正月初一）

Spring Festival comes at the turn of a Chinese lunar year and is celebrated all over the country. On the day of the Lunar New Year people get up early and wear all kinds of new clothes. In the north, most families prepare jiaozi (dumplings) on the Eve as special food, while in the south sticky-sweet glutinous rice pudding called nian gao is served. Crackers are fired everywhere when the clock strikes twelve, as a signal of saying good-bye to the old year and welcoming the New Year in. Fireworks are lit to drive away evil spirits. People watch the CCTV special Spring Festival programs, sing and dance until the small hours of the morning. Chinese New Year-----Spring Festival

During the Spring Festival season, people also do many other things such as putting couplets and colorful New Year pictures. They pay New Year’s calls to friends and relatives, greeting each other for happiness and prosperity in the new year. Children usually get some lucky money in red envelops as New Year gifts. How do we celebrate the Spring Festival ? Families get together and have a big meal. After the meal, we usually have tea and watch the Spring Festival programme on CCTV. This is an enjoyable way of spending time together.

The Chinese Spring Festival is celebrated in many countries and is becoming more popular. Why is it spreading around the world ? People like the colourful celebration and the rich tradition; Chinese people live all around the world.