The Lunar New Year is a great occasion to the Chinese people。 It lasts about the first four days of the year, during which people do not work except for the workers on duty。 Students do not go to school, and shops are closed。
Several days before the new year, people begin to prepare。 Farmers kill pigs, sheep, cocks and hens。 City dwellers buy meat fish and vegetables。 Houses are cleaned; coupletsare posted on the doors。 Colourful lanterns are hung at the gate。
On the eve of the new year, each family has its members gatherd together and eats a family reunion dinner。 After the meal they watch TV until the clock strickes twelve。 Then every family sets off long strings of small firecrackers and other fire works to wele the new year。 On the first day of the new year, almost everyone is dressed in his or her best。 When people meet on the way, they say to each other Happy New Year。 Friends and relatives pay new year calls and gives presents to each other。 Children indulge themselves in games。
Far and away the most important holiday in China is Spring Festival, also known as the Chinese New Year. To the Chinese people it is as important as Christmas to people in the West. The dates for this annual celebration are determined by the lunar calendar rather than the GREgorian calendar.
so the timing of the holiday varies from late January to early February. To the ordinary Chinese, the festival actually begins on the eve of the lunar New Year's Day and ends on the fifth day of the first month of the lunar calendar. But the 15th of the first month, which normally is called the Lantern Festival, means the official end of the Spring Festival in many parts of the country.
Spring Festival is the most importantand popular festival in China.Before Spring Festival ,the people usually clean and decorate their houses.And they go to the Flower Fairs to buy some flowers.During Spring Festival ,the adults usually give lucky money to children.People often get together and have a big meal.Some people eat dumpling for dinner.
Christmas arouses increasing attention year by year in China。 Christmas cards bee popular with students。 People hold Christmas parties and exchange Christmas girts。 A lot or TV and radio programs about Christmas are on。 Meanwhile the Spring Festival is less appealing (有吸引力的)to youngsters。 Thus some people wonder whether Christmas will replace the Spring Festival。
This worry is fairly unnecessary。 Why ? One reason lies that Christmas only affects Christians,college students and joint-venture (合资企业)workers。 Another reason is that Christmas is mostly celebrated in cities。 Few people in countryside show extreme interest in this exotic(带有异国情调的) festival。 By contrast,the Spring Festival is the most influential traditional festival in every family。
I think,it is natural that with increasing exchanges with the West,a lot of Western holidays have been gradually introduced into China。 For us Chinese we should never neglect or even discard our own traditional festivals。 For centuries Chinese have observed this traditional holiday to wele the beginning of a new year。 And we will treasure the Spring Festival forever。
On New Year's Eve,our class had a party。 The atmosphere was good。 It was out of the ordinary from the very begining。 The boy student from one bedroom gave an unusual performance。 We saw a boy named Li Xinmin turn off all the lights in a sudden snap。 Then with three resounding(响亮的) crow of a cock echoing in the hall,the hall was again brightly lit in a snap。
Then,the representative of the bedroom Zhu Guozhang asked us to guess a line of a poem related to the above situation。 He added that Li Xinmin alone was born in the year of the dog and the other three were all born in the year of the chicken。 They left us all in confusion。 And it was our monitor who was quickwitted(机智的)。 He shouted our, The day breaks as the cock crows three times at dawn。 The hall After that,they had another item。 This time Li Xinmin was placed in the middle of the circle。 While he was standing there,the other three stood around him,each bowing down to him at an angle of 120 degrees。 It was an idiom。 This time I got it right:The dog stands out among a group of chickens。