How does the Chinese celebrate Chinese New Year?

Answer 1

To prepare for the Chinese New Year, they would first clean their house. It is believed that by doing this, you would get rid of all the bad luck collected in the past year. You also must prepare enough food that will last three days because for the first few days you are not allowed to cut through your food, for it is believed that you cut off your good luck. You also have to make sure you pay all your debts and resolve all your fights for the old year, so you can go into the New Year with a clean slate.

Decorating, like in any other holiday is very important. Most of the decorations were in red. The reason that they do this is because there was a monster who would always like to eat the people, so a wise man told the people that the monster was afraid of noise, lights, and the color red. Ever since they got this information, they started painting their doors red along with fireworks.

Like many other things, the Chinese brought a fresh pair of clothing for the new year. They would mostly buy red clothing because it was good luck. Some people also wear a specific clothing that you are supposed to wear for New Year's. Not only did they get knew clothes, but they also got new haircuts. They would try to look as best as possible on Chinese New Year. When eating food during the new year, it was not just its taste that got the food on the table, but more the meaning. For example, the noodles meant long life. Clams and spring rolls symbolized wealth. Tangerines and Oranges were also given at the table because tangerines sound like luck and oranges sound like wealth.

During Chinese New Year, there are messages you can hang around your home or office that is asking for good fortune, called Hui Chun. Some people ask for wealth, health, the old students in studies, and so on. As you would expect, they are written on red strips. Money would also be given in red packets (Hong Bao),that would ward of evil spirits. It is also traditionally practiced by many that you must give an even number in order for it to be lucky. Not all, but some people believe that the amount you give anybody cannot have "4" in it, such as 40, 14, or 444.

One activity that everyone takes part in is the fireworks. If you could get to the fireworks you would most likely try to see them.

Answer 2

They eat dumplings (in the north), watch the Chinese New Year show, eat 年夜饭 (translation: year night meal), stay up late, watch fireworks (it was originally used to scare off 年兽，a monster that would come to people's homes that day), give children red packets with money, clean the house, the family will come home on that day, eat fish because 年年有鱼 （every year there is fish). They will also drink this wine called 屠苏酒. Afterwords, they will hang up a diamond shaped thing that says happiness (福) on their front door。 sometimes they will hang it upside down because upside down in chinese is 倒 and it is the same sound as 到 which means here and so then the sign will mean happiness is here (福到). Elders might do more things because they are more "traditional" but this is basically what the younger people do.