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Here are some of the ways
you can celebrate Chinese New Year (the New Year begins on January 29th in
2006):
Clean House - Before the New
Year arrives, the Chinese consider it very important to give the house a
thorough cleaning, sweeping away any bad luck that may have accumulated over the
past year. Decorate! - Doors and window panes are also often painted red, considered to be a
lucky color. In addition, people like to hang papercuts on doors and
windows. (Paper cutting is an ancient Chinese art form dating back to
the Han dynasty). Don't clean for the
first few days of the New Year - if you do any sweeping during this time, you
risk sweeping away your good luck. Offer a Sacrifice to the
Kitchen God - Many families have a poster of the Kitchen God in their
kitchen. The custom is to offer a ceremonial sacrifice to the Kitchen God, to
make sure that he gives a good report on the family's behavior when he returns
to heaven. Sticky Cake (Neen Gow) is popular,
or children may rub honey on him. An important tradition on New Year's Eve is for families to gather together and
spend the evening preparing jiaozi or boiled dumplings. According to Chinese
Culture Guide Jun Shan, it is common to hide a coin in one of the dumplings.
Whoever gets the dumpling with the coin will supposedly have good luck in the
coming year. Give out money packets - On New Years day, children receive leisee
- red packets decorated with gold symbols and filled with "lucky
money". Serve
festive foods - Throughout the New Years season, certain foods are served because they
symbolize abundance and good fortune. Besides preparing special dishes, tangerines and oranges are often passed
out to children and guests, as they symbolize wealth and good luck. Prepare a Tray of
Togetherness - This is a circular tray with eight compartments, each containing
symbolic foods such as lotus seeds and lychee nuts, that provides a sweet beginning
to the New Year.
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