Severaldaysbeforethenewyear,peoplebegintoprepare.Farmerskillpigs,sheep,cocksandhens.Citydwellersbuymeatfishandvegetables.Housesarecleaned;coupletsarepostedonthedoors.Colourfullanternsarehungatthegate.
Ontheeveofthenewyear,eachfamilyhasitsmembersgatherdtogetherandeatsafamilyreuniondinner.AfterthemealtheywatchTVuntiltheclockstrickestwelve.Theneveryfamilysetsofflongstringsofsmallfirecrackersandotherfireworkstowelcomethenewyear.Onthefirstdayofthenewyear,almosteveryoneisdressedinhisorherbest.Whenpeoplemeetontheway,theysaytoeachother"HappyNewYear".Friendsandrelativespaynewyearcallsandgivespresentstoeachother.Childrenindulgethemselvesingames.
Onthefirstearlymoringofoneyear,manyseniorcitizengetupearlyandtheystickthereversedFuorhangsomecoupletsonthefrontdoor.Somehouse'swindowsarestickedonredpapercutlings.
TheChineseNewYearlastsfifteendays.Soduringthefifteendays,wealwaysvisitourrelativesfromdoortodoor.Atthattime,childrenarethehappiestbecausetheycangetmanyredpacketsformtheirparents,grandparents,uncles,auntsandsoon.ThelastdayoftheChineseNewYearisanotherfestival.ItnamestheLanternFestival.
SotheChineseNewYearcomestotheend.
Itisthedaythatthefamiliesgettogether.
ThespringfestivalisusuallyintheFebruary,sometimesinJanuary.Inthespringfestival,everyfamilyallpastetheluckyinsc-riptions,theyfirethecracker,theyeatthedumplings.Thedaybeforethenewyear'sfirstdayisthenewyear'seve,sameasthechristmaseve,allthefamiliesgettogethertohavethenewyaar'sdinner,wisheseachother,talkaboutthewishesaboutthenewyear.Smallchildrenwillreceivethemoneygiventochildrenasalunarnewyeargift.
StoreownersarebusythenaseverybodygoesouttopurchasenecessitiesfortheNewYear.Materialsnotonlyincludeedibleoil,rice,flour,chicken,duck,fishandmeat,butalsofruit,candiesandkindsofnuts.What'smore,variousdecorations,newclothesandshoesforthechildrenaswellasgiftsfortheelderly,friendsandrelatives,areallonthelistofpurchasing.
BeforetheNewYearcomes,thepeoplecompletelycleantheindoorsandoutdoorsoftheirhomesaswellastheirclothes,bedclothesandalltheirutensils.
Thenpeoplebegindecoratingtheircleanroomsfeaturinganatmosphereofrejoicingandfestivity.AllthedoorpanelswillbepastedwithSpringFestivalcouplets,highlightingChinesecalligraphywithblackcharactersonredpaper.Thecontentvariesfromhouseowners'wishesforabrightfuturetogoodluckfortheNewYear.Also,picturesofthegodofdoorsandwealthwillbepostedonfrontdoorstowardoffevilspiritsandwelcomepeaceandabundance.
Inthepast,peoplecouldnotoftenhavemeat,riceorotherdeliciousfood.TheycouldonlyeattheseduringtheSpringfestival.SoeveryyeartheyhopedthattheSpringFestivalwouldcomesoon.Now,althoughpeople'slifeismuchbetter,andwecaneatthedeliciousfoodseveryday.Peoplestilllikethefestival.Becausemostpeoplecanhavealongholiday,andwearefreetogoonatriporvisitourfriendsorhavepartieswithourfamily.Intheevenings,wecanhaveabigmealintherestaurantorstayathomewithfamilyandwatchtheTVprogrammes.
IliketheSpringFestivalverymuch.HowwonderfultheSpringFestivalis!