THE CHINESE NEW YEAR 2007

THE CHINESE NEW YEAR 2007
This Chinese New Year begins on February 17, 2007. This is the year of the Pig Chinese New Year is the most important and longest holiday in China. Chinese will begin celebrating on the New Year's Eve and the celebrations will last for 15 days but the important days have 3 days. Chinese New Year has the first day for Chinese people buy fresh food for make cooking and then they make clean their home. The main food is pork, chicken and fruit. The second day, Chinese people prepare the food for thank the ancestor. The third day, it look like New Year so it is also called the day for travel because Chinese people stop work for congratulation in Chinese New Year.
The Year of the Pig The Chinese calendar is represented by twelve animals. Each year is represented by one animal. This year is the year of the pig. The 12 animals in order are: rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, ram, monkey, rooster, dog and pig. Chinese zodiac is also based on the 12 animals.
Things the family and I do. A list of things or traditions Chinese may do around Chinese New Year. For special thing I like, I famous only the red packet because I like money……. (‘v’)
Preparation

Usually the preparation starts a month before the New Year. The preparation includes thoroughly cleaning and decorating the house, buying new clothes, preparing enough food for at least two weeks. The decorations are highly symbolic with a lot of lucky words, printed paintings and red colors everywhere. Kids are busy in shopping for different kinds of firecrackers. Everyone gets a haircut before the New Year. So everything and everyone looks new and fresh on the New Year. My mother buy red T-shirt for everybody and I do unwilling to wear it (because a red packet from my mother).

New Year's Eve is the time for families. The New Year Eve's dinner is the biggest dinner of the year, much like Thanksgiving dinner. The dinner is full of symbolic meaning, such as Chinese dumplings implying wealth since they have the shape of ancient Chinese gold or silver ingots. Everyone, even kids, drinks a little Jiu (usually hard liquor), which symbolizes longevity since Jiu has the same pronunciation as longevity in Chinese people. Then the family chats while watching program TV shows or listening to radio together until the coming of the New Year. In Thailand, the program TV shows have been prepared for New Year of Chinese-Thai people at China town.
Firecrackers

Firecrackers are set off as soon as the New Year arrives. You can hear or see firecrackers everywhere and this usually lasts for a few hours. Some people will continue to play firecrackers occasionally through out the first half of the first month. Traditionally fireworks are the sign of getting rid of the old and welcoming the new. Fireworks are now banned in China, so this tradition is history but in Thailand, it is very popular.
A Red Packets

Giving “Hongbao” or a red packet during Chinese New Year is another tradition. A Red packet is simply a red envelope with money in it, which symbolizes luck and wealth. Red packets are typically handed out to younger generation by their parents, grand parents, relatives, and even close neighbors and friends. For this year, I get money less than when year ago. My older sister, she does work but she doesn’t give money to me. I feel so sadly… (T-T)
New Year Greetings

Chinese New Year is also the time for socializing. People usually wear new clothes and go out to visit and greet their relatives and friends, so the streets are filled with a lot of cheerful people (Can look at China Town).The greetings and visiting can go on for a few days. I and my family go to visit my grand mother at her home because she can’t come to party new year. She is 86 years old. So she is very old until she can’t stand or sit a long time.
Dragon and Lion Dancing

Dragon and Lion dancing are another tradition of Chinese New Year.
Lantern Festival

Lantern Festival is on the 15th of the first month of Chinese New Year, which marks the end of the New Year celebrations. It is the time for family reunion again. Lantern Festival is also a kind of cake, which looks like a table tennis ball (a little smaller) made of sticky rice with sweet stuffing inside. Everyone eats a few on Lantern Festival, which symbolizes family will stick together.