How Do You Observe Chinese New Years Traditions?
The traditional Chinese New Year begins on the first day of the lunar calendar, so the starting date for the celebration varies. With fifteen days of celebration, there are many traditional ways to observe the Chinese New Year. Give your house a thorough cleaning in the days before the New Year to sweep away bad luck. Don’t clean for the first few days of the New Year, so that you don’t sweep away your good luck! Decorate your home with traditional Chinese decorations with liberal use of red and gold to symbolize wealth and good luck, and with flowers such as peach blossom for good luck, chrysanthemum for longevity, and narcissus. Gather your family together on the eve of the Chinese New Year for a festive meal. Include chicken and fish, as well as a dish of Chinese dumplings and hide a coin in one-whoever gets the dumpling with the coin will have good luck all year. Pay a visit to the most senior member of your family on the first day to show your respect for them. Many people also ab
