Spring Festival ( Chinese New Year ) 2015
Christmas and New Years are a big part of millions of people around the world, during this time there is a constant rush to spend the holidays with loved ones, and of course holiday shopping for gifts. During this time there is also a major rush for mail and shipping services to get packages and gifts delivered by certain times, usually before Christmas Day. Much like Christmas means to Westerners and most part of the world, Chinese celebrate Spring Festival or also known as Chinese New Year. This two week long holiday is for many Chinese the only time they can reunite with their family and loved to celebrate and days of rest. Many of the same things that are seen in Christmas can also relate to Chinese New Year, there is a huge urgency to travel and for families to reunite, a lot of shopping, and lots of celebration, parades and lights and fireworks.
Many of the world’s manufacturing companies are located in China, and during the holiday these factories come to a halt. Stoppage of production and exportation of products will mean longer wait times for stores to stock up on their inventory and for people overall to wait for things they might want to purchase in the store or online. Spring Festival is the most important time of the year in the Chinese calendar, but many people outside of China do not know the origin of how Spring Festival or “Chinese New Year” came to be.
Spring Festival or Chinese New Year as it is known in in the west lasts 15 days and it’s the most important holiday in the Chinese calendar. The festival has been celebrated since 2000 BC, and it originates when wild beast known as “Nian”, which appeared each year at the end of winter attacking and killing local villagers. The villagers used elaborate costumes such as dragons and lions, along with loud firecrackers to scare the beast away. Nian is also the Chinese word for “year”, which can also bring uncertainty, fear and new hardships to be faced. Families gather to see each other to spend time and wish themselves the best luck on the year to come. This is a tradition that allows people to take time off work and to go be with their families, which many have not seen in a year.
Much like Christmas, Chinese New Year is about spending time with the family and rejoicing with loved ones. Chinese New Year is the biggest holiday for Chinese and just like all major holidays, there is a huge rush that comes with it as well. Many Chinese have to make travel plans to be able to make it in time and be with their family. Due to the large number of population in China, travel arrangements can be a bit hectic prior and during the festival.
Chinese New Year is celebrated in beginning of the first month of the lunar calendar . The color red has a special meaning of happiness and abundance. There are also meals that have meaning such as a fish which means abundance and chicken which symbolizes good luck. The most notable of the Chinese New Year traditions are the red envelopes which are passed out and have lucky money inside them. Usually these envelopes are The festival continues for two weeks, with family time and relaxation, on the 15th day the Lantern Festival arrives and closes out the Spring Festival celebration.
