Chinese New Year Festivals is on the air. Can you just feel it? It is one of the most awaited days, especially Chinese people. The best part of this celebration is reunion time among families and friends, surrounding delicious foods and wishes for good fortune in the future.
Are you going to join with the excitement? Make sure you mark your calendars. Chinese New Year 2019 will take place on February 5th. It starts from the night before, until the Lantern Festival 15 days later. Based on the Chinese zodiac, it is known as The Year of Pig.
How do people celebrate Chinese New Year Festivals?
Chinese New Year is the biggest annual event in China. They appreciate the moment with grand celebration dominated by red lanterns, loud fireworks, massive banquets and parades. As 20% of the population in the world is Chinese, you can also expect the same excitement of this Lunar New Year celebration in other countries, making it one of the famous international festivals.
Chinese New Year is also called Spring Festival because it takes place around the beginning of spring, based on Chinese solar term. There are mainly 4 activities that people will do, i.e.:
1. Putting up decorations
People will put red items at many places. There will be red Chinese lanterns, couplets and depicting images of prosperity seen in streets, doors, official buildings and houses. This colour is believed as an auspicious colour and a must in Lunar New Year festival.
2. Having family reunion dinner on New Year’s Eve
Chinese New Year is just like Christmas. It is time for going home and meeting the family. They will do the reunion dinner which is believed as the most important meal of the year. After the dinner, the whole family will stay up late, waiting for the day’s changing by watching the Spring Festival Gala on the TV. Those who can meet each other will send messages through mobile phones.
3. Setting off firecrackers and fireworks
Setting off firecrackers and fireworks on the first minute of New Year has been a tradition for a long time. It can be seen everywhere in the whole country, be it in private celebrations in rural areas or public displays in major cities.
4. Giving red envelopes and gifts
People also exchange gifts during the Chinese New Year celebration. Older people or the married ones will give red envelopes to the younger ones. At the offices, workers also get the same gift from their employers. The red envelope is believed to bring good luck.
Read Also: The Best Places to Celebrate Chinese New Year
Places to visit during Chinese New Year
If you want to experience the real traditional culture in China, travelling during the Lunar New Year holiday is the best moment. Here are the best cities you can visit to join the excitement:
1. Beijing
One of the most important ways to celebrate Chinese New Year in this capital city of China is by visiting the temple fairs. You can go to Ditan Park Temple and Dongyue Temple to watch various entertainments and activities like spring festival carnivals, foods festivals, lion and dragon dances, Peking opera and many more.
2. Guangzhou
As a developed tourist destination, this city has so many attractions to not miss. During the Chinese New Year celebration, you can expect for a lot of events like the light and drone spectacles at the Canton Tower and Zhujiang Spring festival flower market at Haixinsha, and Guangzhou Garden Exhibition.
3. Hong Kong
Just like in the mainland, people of Hong Kong also have their own unique ways to celebrate the Spring Festival. They have a lot of events including night parade and entertainment, giant firework displays and spring festival horse races.
4. Harbin
Harbin is popular as a winter destination. Special for Spring Festival, the city will host Ice Lantern festival and a month-long snow sculpture festival from January to February.
Read Also: 7 Places Must Visit in China
It is highly recommended to plan your itinerary beforehand. It can be tough to get a flight heading to China because of the massive migration as people will go home for a family reunion. Even if you get the chance, the ticket price will be very expensive. Check out Airpaz now to get the most affordable airline tickets.
