foodconsumer.org: Chinese New Year 2010

Chinese New Year 2010
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admin on 02/14/2010 13:32:00
 
The first day of the Chinese New year 2010 is Sunday, Feb 14, 2010 - the year of
the Tiger, according to the Chinese Zodiac.
The Chinese New Year does not follow the western calendar and the fist day of
the Chinese lunar new year can be any day between late Jan and mid-Feb.  It is
said that the Chinese Zodiac which designates the lunar new year cycle was
introduced by Emperor Huang Ti in 2600 BC.  Thus the year 2010 on the western
calendar is the Chinese lunar year 4708.
By tradition, there is a Spring festival that lasts 7 to 15 days to start the
new year.  The biggest event is on the new year eve.  All members of a family
try come together, no matter how far away they are, to have dinner and the
Spring Festival together to celebrate the new year. Dishes are often the best of
the year a family can prepare.  In old China, people do not have much money to
buy good foods and they would save money throughout the year and then prepare
the best for the big dinner.  Pork, chicken, fish and soy products are often
seen on the dinner table.  There can be 10 to 15 dishes on a table.  The holiday
starts from that dinner.  Nowadays most people often watch TV after dinner. In
old days, older people go to sleep early and children stay up all night playing.
On the first day of the Chinese New year, people often stay home.  On the second
day some people like newly wed couples may go visit the wives' families. And on
the third day, most people - often times family members go together visit
relatives and friends.  In China, young generations are expected to respect old
generations.   So adult sons and daughters tend to visit their elderly parents. 
They will forget to take with them some gifts.  In poor areas of old China,
people might simply bring with them a few pounds of white cane sugar, which was
a good gift at that time.  In return, the hosting families will give visitors
particularly young children a little paper money wrapped in red paper.
By David Liu