春節
In a Chinese legend,"Nien" was a terrible beast.It ate not only animals but also people.
People felt that they had to do something to stop Nien from eating any more people.
They found out that Nien was scared of three things anything colored red, loud noises, and fire.When the next winter came,
many people put red couplets on their front doors.
People set off firecrackers to make loud noises.People also set bonfires in front of their houses.
One night, Nien came. The red couplets, the noises and the fire frightened it. So it ran away to the mountains and never came back again.
People stayed up all night that night with their families because they were afraid.The next morning, people discovered that Nien had run away！
They congratulated one another by saying “Gon Xi”
All about Chinese New Year
Shortly before Chinese New Year, all Chines clean up their houses.It is symbolic of sweeping away all bad luck. Many people put red plets on their front doors.
Some people put the word “Fu” upside –down on the wall. "Fu" means luck. The character “Fu” upside-down actually means, “luck in coming.”Many people go home to have a big dinner with their family.
There are a lot of special foods served, such as hotpot and fish.At the end of the big dinner, parents give their children money in
red envelopes.
The money represents good luck and prosperity. Many families stay up all night to welcome in the New Year. On New Years Day, people set off firecrackers.
People also wear new clothes and hats to celebrate the New Year. Many people worship their ancestors on the first day of the New Year.
Dragon dances and stilt stunts are also performed on that special day. On the second day of the New Year, daughters –in – law go back to their own mother’s house for a family reunion.
On the fifth day of Chinese New Year, many people reopen their stores for business.