Festival OF Happiness & Wealth - Chinese New Year

This new year of Chinese is the 4710th New Year and as per the Chinese Zodiac Calendar, this year is of dragon, the 5th sign, indicating power, good luck, success and happiness. The date of the Chinese New Year changes in accordance to the path of New Year. Last year i.e., 2011, the New Year it was on February 3rd, this year i.e., 2012, it is on January 23rd and in the coming year i.e., 2013, it is on February 10th. The festival is starting on 22nd January (Chinese New Year' Eve) and ending on February 6th (Lantern Festival). Apart from being known as Lantern Festival, the New Year is also called Spring Festival as it marks the end of winter season.So, on this auspicious occasion don’t forget to greet your dear ones with attractive gift ideas. Now the question is what do people do in these 15 days? Here is a brief about the festival in chronological order:Day 01:As the day officially starts at midnight, people avoid use of knives and lighting fire as this is considered to bring bad luck. So, the food is prepared one day before. Buddhists give up eating of meat as the belief says, doing this bring longevity. Cleaning oneself is also avoided considering it to bring bad luck. On this day, the elders or the married couple’s gift red enveloped, with money as gift inside it, to the young ones. In corporate, bosses also give red envelops to the employees greeting good luck and prosperity.Day 02:On this day, incense sticks are burned at the graves of the ancestors. This way, the prayer ritual is made and New Year is greeted to the bygone beloveds. Moreover, married daughters also go to visit their birth parents. As the day is also celebrated as the birthday of the ‘God of Wealth’, beggars go door to door shouting “Zao Shen Dao!”, meaning ‘The God of Wealth has come!’ people interested in starting a new business also select this day for the new beginning.Day 03:Generally this day is not considered good in terms of socializing and meeting the friends and relatives. This day is known as “Chi Kou”, translated as ‘Red Mouth’, meaning ‘the God of Blazing Wrath’. People prefer to stay at their homes and may go to visit God of Wealth’s temple.Day 04:Some of the communities celebrate the Chinese New Year for thr4ee to four days. For them, this day is for the ‘Spring Dinner’ and after that the business returns to normal.Day 05 & Day 06:On these days, people burn crackers. The entire sky becomes the projector of colorful and vibrant fireworks. The main motive of firework is to grab the attention of Guan Yu, in order to ensure his favor and good fortune.Day 07:This day is known as “Renri”, meaning ‘the common man's birthday’. On this day everyone becomes a year older. People of some communities also treat themselves with “Yusheng”, meaning the tossed raw fish salad, for continued wealth and prosperity.Day 08:By the arrival of eighth day, all the government agencies and offices get back to work. With stop to their celebration, they host lunch or dinner with their employees in order4 to thank them for their efforts and good work. This day is the birthday eve of ‘Jade Emperor’.Day 09:As this is the birthday of the ‘jade Emperor’, prayers are offered to Jade Emperor in the Taoist Pantheon. This is a special day for Hokkiens. On this day offerings are made that include sugarcane, Incense, tea, fruit, vegetarian food or roast pig, and gold paper. The gold paper is considered as the customary protocol with respect of paying honor to the person.Day 10:The day is enjoyed as the day of Jade Emperor’s party.Day 11 & Day 12:On these days family and friends are invited for dinner party.Day 13 & day 14:The 13th day is devoted to General Guan Yu, the Chinese God of War. On 13th and the 14th day people also prefer pure vegetarian food in order to clean out their digestive system due to the consumption of too much of festive food for the last two weeks.Day 15:Finally the day arrives when a good-bye is said to winter and spring festival is celebrated. On this fifteenth night, the entire city is full of colorful lanterns, fireworks in sky, music all around, lions and dragons dancing and many more.The entire period of 15 days is celebrated with great pomp and zeal. Lots of gifts and greetings are exchanged. Further, to enjoy the New Year, various gatherings with friends and family are made for the lunch and dinner.For more to Chinese New Year gifts.