Chinese New Year Traditions

The Chinese New Year or the Lunar New Year is a 3,000 year old festival that continues for 15 days. Also known as the spring festival, it is the world’s largest festival that follows many traditions. It is a great time of the year when all the relatives, friends and acquaintances come together to commemorate the event with great joy, fun and enthusiasm. Though the New Year begins with the lunar calendar, but the celebrations and the traditions are followed for almost 2 weeks.

The traditions and practices are divided into three periods and categories that include, Preceding Days, Festival Time and Following days. During the preceding days, all the chores such as cleaning and start decorating. At the time of the festival, certain things such as making good food, etc. are done. Here is the list of the top traditions that are followed during this festival:

1. De-cluttering, Decorating and Shopping: Welcoming the New Year starts with the cleaning of house and purchasing new things. It is a Chinese new year tradition that people are supposed to remove all the clutter from their house and decorate them different things, such as New Year greetings, spring festival couplets, pasting the ‘Fu’ on the front door, creating Gate Gods and the Chinese knots. From children to youngsters and oldies; everyone participates in making the event a great success.
2. Celebrating festivities with Loved Ones: The best part about the Chinese New Year is that it helps in connecting people with each other. The bond of love and togetherness becomes stronger when people meet each other and celebrate the event with great zeal and passion. Making dumplings, sharing food and thanking god are the basic traditions that are followed. There is one more practice followed, which is of keeping the knife away in order to welcome good luck.
3. Giving the Red Envelope: Red envelope holds a very important place in the history of the Chinese culture and thus it is used as a lucky charm for gifting to the loved ones. Special messages are written on these red envelopes with golden threads for different family members and relatives that wish them good things and a great start to the New Year. It is believed that the red color will bring prosperity, wealth, wisdom and happiness in that person’s life.
4. Fireworks: While in some cultures, bursting firecrackers is an act of welcoming and celebrating a particular event, but the Chinese culture has some other faith. Commemorating fireworks during Chinese New Year throws away all the negativity, ghosts and demons. This tradition has been followed since history and has relevance that is followed for the last decades. At the midnight of the year, just before the New Year begins, firecrackers are burnt and so are the evil powers.

So, if you are planning to celebrate the Chines New Year with your loved ones, book a flight soon. Browse through the Chinese New Year Travel Deals available online and enjoy great discounts. Chinese New Year flights are available at various sources that can make your travel convenient and happier.