New Year’s Day and Chinese New Year
張貼日期：Apr 03, 2013 5:14:54 AM
New Year’s Day and Chinese New Year
Blythe
Chinese people love two festivals, New Year’s Day and Chinese New Year, very much. New Year’s Day is on the last day of a year in the solar calendar, and Chinese New Year is on the last day of a year in the lunar calendar. What are differences between them? There are three major disparities: recreational activities, celebrations, and the participants.
On New Year’s Day, people take part in crazy activities and celebrations with their friends. Some people watch movies and go to KTV. Some people go shopping. Others go to the concert or New Year Countdown Party in which many entertainers give performances. Many have a nice dinner out celebrating with their friends, and watch fireworks in the famous spots such as Taipei 101, Miramar Entertainment Park, or E-DA WORLD.
On Chinese New Year, people go back to their hometown to do some traditional activities with their families. Some people play poker and Ma-Jiang with relatives. Some make the annual cleaning of the house, put on red couplets on the front door, pay someone a courtesy call on Chinese New Year’s Day or thereafter, usually with a present. People have a traditional dinner and make offerings to the gods and ancestors. It is also a tradition to set off firecrackers, receive cash gifts from elders, and buy new clothes to celebrate the coming of a new year. On the 15th of January in the lunar calendar, people carry the lantern and eat the sweet sticky rice ball to enjoy the lantern festival, which officially ends the Chinese New Year.
On New Year’s Day, we can celebrate with friends to sing, watch movies, and go to New Year Countdown Party. On the other hand, On Chinese New Year, we can have a traditional dinner, play Ma-Jiang, eat the sticky rice ball and receive cash gifts from elders. New Year’s Day and Chinese New Year are most distinguished by the reunion that brings family members together. I think Chinese people love the Chinese New Year. After all, it is the most important festival for Chinese people anywhere in the world.