The Chinese New Year is usually celebrated on the 2nd new moon after the winter solstice
and ends with the full moon 15 days later. This year the Chinese New Year starts on January 29.
The year will be 4703. Celebrations can last for 15 days.

The New Year is also a celebration of ancestors
places will be laid at the table for ancestors on New Year’s Eve.
People have a special meal on New Year’s Eve and will stay up till midnight to welcome in the new year.

Reciepe For Good Luck, Wealth prosperity, longevity- and Happiness

Red symbolizes Happiness. Gold symbolizes wealth.
Red is the color for luck and to ward off evil spirits - actually it scares the big bad dragon away - and fireworks scares the dragon too.
Wear Red Clothes. Paint your doors red and decorate your house with red and gold ornaments

Sayings of good luck are written on red scrolls or banners and used as decorations.

To maintain honor, all debts must be paid before the New Year begins.
Houses are swept clean to get rid of traces of bad luck.
Do not sweep on New Year’s Day.
No sharp objects can be used they might cut out the good luck.

Flowers symbolize good health and wealth. It’s particularly good luck if a flower opens its bloom on New Year’s Day.
The most important types of fruit are oranges and tangerines, which both symbolize happiness.

Keep Evil Away

Pictures of Door Gods are sometimes hung on the front door to keep out the evil spirits.
The images of General Chin and General YuChih are painted on their door as the god of door.
People think the god of door can protect then from ghosts or bad spirits from entering their house.

At Midnight people light fireworks to ward off evil spirits and welcome back the Kitchen God.
The Kitchen God, a god sent from Heaven to each family to take charge of family's affairs and
make a report on what the family has done in the past year to Heaven. A negative report by the
Kitchen God means a family will suffer from bad luck during the year to come.

Long ago there was a magical peach tree that grew on on Mount Tu Shuo. It was so big that its branches spread for miles around. The branches that spread toward the north-east formed the Door of the Spirits through which millions of souls past after they died. Two guards, Shen Shu and Yu Lei were assigned to guard this entrance. Those who had been evil during their lives were instructed by the Jade Emperor to be caught, bound and thrown to the tigers.
The names Shen Shu and Yu Lei from the ancient legend were later changed to Ch'in Shu-pao and Hu Ching-te during the Tang Dynasty. Once guardians of the entrance to the spirit world, the door gods were gradually assigned to warding off evil spirits in the homes of earthly beings. Today, pictures or statues of the door gods can be found guarding the entrances to Chinese homes,temples, restaurants and stores.

On the 15th day after the start of the new year, there is a Festival of Lanterns.
There’s a parade of children carrying lanterns lit by candles inside which represent the moon.

This ends the New Year’s celebration.