新年 春节 Chinese New Year nián 新年 春节

Time: Dated back to 4000 years ago Chinese New Year or Spring Festival is the most important of the traditional Chinese holidays. It is sometimes called the Lunar New Year, especially by people outside China. The festival traditionally begins on the first day of the first lunar month (Chinese: 正月; pinyin: zhēng yuè) in the Chinese calendar and ends on the 15th; this day is called Lantern Festival. Usually, it’s 15 days long

Places Celebrated in areas with large populations of ethnic Chinese, Chinese New Year is considered a major holiday for the Chinese and has had influence on the new year celebrations of its geographic neighbours, such as Koreans, Mongolians, Nepalese, Bhutanese, Vietnamese, Japanese ,Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand. Other countries with significant Chinese populations, Chinese New Year is also celebrated, largely by overseas Chinese. In the States, Chinese New Year becomes an official holiday in more and more cities. Each year, New York City many Chinese ethnic groups hold large celebrations

What date is in year 2014? 二〇一四年一月三十一日 January 31, 2014 马年

What date is it last year? 二零一五年二月十九日 February 19， 2015

What date is it this year? 二零一五年二月十九日 February 08， 2016

The traditions New-year visits and greetings 拜年; pinyin: bàinián Different ways to practice new year visit with gifts and greetings, wearing new clothes

拜年了 新年快乐 Xīnnián kuàilè 过年好 guònian hǎo 恭喜发财 Gōngxǐ fācái Greetings: 1. Happy new year: 新年快乐 Xīnnián kuàilè 过年好 guònian hǎo 2. Congratulations and be prosperous: 恭喜发财 Gōngxǐ fācái

红 包 压 岁 钱 hónɡ bāo yā suì qián Red packets : Mom or Dad gives some money for youths in red packets hónɡ bāo yā suì qián 红 包 压 岁 钱 the money used to suppress or put down the evil spirit

Before the New Year, Chinese 3. Do the Spring Cleaning Before the New Year,Chinese

守 岁 New Year night, Chinese 4. shǒu suì 守 岁 family gather around throughout the night after the reunion dinner and welcoming the year that has arrived. It’s called Shou Sui

nián yè fàn 年 夜 饭 reunion dinner of the New year eve

Traditional Food 1) Fish: yú 鱼 homophone for "surpluses"

2) nián ɡāo 年 糕 rice cake

3) jiǎo zi 饺 子

4）tānɡ yuán 汤 圆 Rice dumplings The fifteenth day of the new year is celebrated as Yuánxiāo jié (元宵节) Rice dumplings， Candles are lit outside houses as a way to guide wayward spirits home. This day is celebrated as the Lantern Festival, and families walk the street carrying lighted lanterns. This day often marks the end of the Chinese New Year festivities.

tānɡ yuán 汤 圆 Rice dumplings

Activities Indoors Chinese calligraphy posters show Chinese idioms New year picture, Chinese knots, and paper cutting and couplets.

Couplets 对联

Couplets

Paper cuttings 剪纸

Paper cuttings

Outdoors Activities: Fireworks 放鞭炮

Lantern Festival 灯笼 灯笼

Riddles

Riddles 异曲同工、自圆其说、可圈可点、一五一十、口是心非、心直口快、无与伦比、哭笑不得、里应外合、三教九流、五音不全、不置可否、一塌糊涂、多此一举、左右开弓、天方夜谭、风月无边、白纸黑字、俯首称臣、石破天惊、能屈能伸、三纲五常、风花雪月、四大皆空、德高望重、四脚朝天、三言两语、入木三分、扬眉吐气、比翼双飞、正中下怀、举一反三、马失前蹄、点到为止、莫名其妙

cái shén 财 神 Fortune gods Fortune gods in everywhere

Let’s listen cái shén dào 财 神 到

Dragon dance and Lion dance Dragon and lion dances are common during Chinese New Year. It is believed that the loud beats of the drum and the deafening sounds of the cymbals together with the face of the dragon or lion dancing aggressively can evict bad or evil spirits.

Video of the dancing http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XNTg3MjAyNTY=.html http://www.youku.com/playlist_show/id_1737076.html