Chinese New Year

Like the Christmas in the United States, Chinese New Year is the longest holiday in China and it lasts 30 days. Unlike many other new year, Chinese New Year is in accordance with the ancient Chinese calendar. So our new year begins some time during February and it varies every year.

There are many etiquettes along with Chinese New Year, in the place I grew up, we eat rice dumplings on the first day of new year because its shape of circle is the symbol of reunion, and family would live together happily in that year.

   

On the Chinese New Year Eve, which is the day before new year. During the night on that day, family members (not include relatives) would gather up and sit together eating dinner, after that, it would be the most exciting time when I was a kid, fireworks. 

On the first day of that year, we have to wear new clothes indicating everything would start from new. We would visit our relatives one by one and it won't stop until the seventh day of that year. During that week, we visit each other, seniors would give young people, especially kids a red envelope with some   "New Year Money", but in my memories, I did not receive them at all, they all go to my parents' pocket because I was too young (that was the typical excuse my parents would use).