New Year’s Eve custom
New Year’s Eve is the last day of the year, which is connected with the Spring Festival (the first day of the first month) and is called "the day when the poor month ends", so it is also called "New Year’s Eve". On new year’s eve, people should get rid of the old and welcome the new. There are many ancient folk activities on this day, such as wrapping jiaozi, eating New Year’s Eve, setting off firecrackers, and keeping the old age.
family reunion dinner on the lunar New Year’s Eve
New Year’s Eve dinner is also called "reunion dinner". The annual reunion dinner reflects the mutual respect and love of Chinese family members, and it is also the most lively and happy time for every household in the Spring Festival. On New Year’s Eve, a table is filled with rich new year’s dishes, and the whole family is reunited and has a family reunion dinner. There are many tricks for New Year’s Eve. People in the south always have Ciba or rice cakes for New Year’s Eve, while people in the north eat jiaozi. "jiaozi" means "making friends at a younger age". And because the white-flour jiaozi is shaped like a silver ingot, a pot of pots on the table symbolizes the meaning of "making a fortune in the New Year, and the ingot rolls in".
paste up Spring Festival couplets
Spring Festival couplets are also called door-to-door couplets, spring stickers, couplets, couplets, etc. They depict the background of the times and express good wishes with neat, dual, concise and exquisite words, which is a unique literary form in China. During the Spring Festival, every household should select a pair of red Spring Festival couplets and stick them on the door to add festive atmosphere to the festival.
lucky money
Lucky money is given by the elders to the younger generation. When visiting the New Year during the Spring Festival, the elders should put the lucky money prepared in advance into a red envelope and distribute it to the younger generation. It is said that the lucky money can suppress evil spirits, because "old" and "special" are homophonic, and the younger generation can spend one year safely with the lucky money.
set off firecrackers
At the "three-yuan" moment of "the yuan of the year, the yuan of the month and the yuan of the time", there are bright lights in the room, brilliant sparks in front of the court and deafening noises outside the house, which push the lively atmosphere of New Year’s Eve to the climax. The sound of firecrackers has entrusted the working people in China with a good wish to eliminate evil spirits, avoid disasters and pray for blessings.
stay up late or all night on New Year’s Eve
People in China have the habit of observing the New Year’s Eve, with the common name "endure the New Year". Watching the New Year begins with eating New Year’s Eve. This New Year’s Eve dinner should be eaten slowly, from the time when the lantern is lit, and some families have to eat it until late at night. According to Zonggu’s Record of Jingchu’s Years Old, it was customary to have New Year’s Eve dinner at least in the Northern and Southern Dynasties. The custom of observing the old age not only contains feelings of farewell and nostalgia for the years that have passed away like water, but also expresses good hope for the coming New Year.
Tonight,
For countless people,
It is destined to be an unforgettable night.
It is also a night of joy on earth.
This night’s happiness can light up the road for a whole year.
Source: Xiangtan Rong Media Center
Source: released by Xiangtan County
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