Click to see Why Chinese New Year Must Have Firecrackers. Christmas in the West generally sees no fireworks, although New Year's Eve does. Even then, however, the focus is on aesthetically pleasing fireworks in the West, whereas Chinese New Year fireworks are aiming to be as loud as possible rather than as beautiful as possible. Like Christmas, Chinese New Year is also a holiday with a rich history and many traditions. the food is even more important because many Chinese foods have symbolic meaning. The most common Chinese New Year is celebrated a few weeks after the Christmas holiday, but these major holidays have many similarities. Christmas commemorates the birth of Jesus for many, while Spring Festival is also based on a historic story. The Chinese New Year story tells of a monster that terrorized villages, and people were told to ward off [] While Chinese New Year signals the start of the new lunar year, Christmas once fell on the exact date of the winter solstice, the shortest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere and a time traditionally marking the “rebirth” of the sun. Lights. Both Chinese New Year and Christmas dazzle with plenty of lights in decorations and rituals. Chinese New Year is so different from Christmas in western countries, you may closely experience the cultural differences by visiting China during Chinese Lunar New Year. Travel with Top China Travel, you can know more local customs and experience plenty of cultural activities. Check this tour if you have interests. 9 Days Chinese New Year Tour Red is a beloved shade for Christmas and an auspicious one for Chinese New Year. Marking beginnings/endings. While Chinese New Year signals the start of the new lunar year, Christmas once fell on the exact date of the winter solstice, the shortest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere and arguably the end of the year’s sun cycle. Lights Common gifts include fruits (typically oranges, and never pears), cakes, biscuits, chocolates, candies, or some other small gift.”[17] Christmas gifts are also distributed, and some gifts can be similar to those that are given on the Chinese New Year, but Christmas gifts usually consist from a large variety of options. Comparison of Chinese New Year and Western Christmas 0 Comments Print E-mail Global Times, December 15, 2010 Adjust font size: The Spring Festival and Christmas have much in common. Both are The Spring Festival (Chinese new year) and Christmas have much in common. Both are prepared in advance to create a happy atmosphere; both provide a family reunion with a big feast; both make the children happy with exciting gifts, yummy food and new clothes. Chinese New Year, or the Spring Festival, is the most important celebration observed in China, with cultural and historic significance. The festival signals the beginning of spring, and the start of a new year according to the Chinese lunar calendar. What do Christmas and Chinese New Year have in common? 7. Sending Chinese New Year Wishes. During Chinese New Year, Chinese people will greet each other with pleasant words like: 'Xin nian kuai le' which means 'Happy New Year' (simplified Chinese: 新年快乐). See more Chinese New Year Greetings and Wishes. 8. Watching the New Year TV Gala Chinese New Year traditions: Holidays around the world. Traditions tend to be a significant part of Chinese New Year celebrations. The following are some traditions that people may follow: During Chinese New Year, people have a long list of things to do. From one week preceding the festival to the 15th day after, many Chinese New Year customs are widely observed for thousands of years. The family reunion dinner, eating dumplings, and setting off firework are the must-dos that you might know. What else interesting do the Chinese do? After living in China for 3 years as V-Trust Sales Manager and 1 year in Vietnam as V-Trust Country Manager, I am happy to share my experience and feelings, even if, for sure, I don’t know everything and they may not be exhaustive. Chinese New Year and the Vietnamese New Year (called Tết in Vietnam) actually have a lot in common. Chinese New Year or Lunar New Year or Spring Festival 2025 falls on Wednesday, January 29th, 2025. Snake is the new year animal. Learn more about Chinese Lunar New Year traditions, taboos, food, zodiac signs, and greetings. Shopping malls and supermarkets are the most festive places, and many have Christmas trees, but because they’re seen more as general decorations rather than specifically for Christmas, they often stay up for Chinese New Year and beyond! Interestingly, there is one unusual Christmas tradition unique to China giving apples! This day is also known as 除夕 (chú xī) - New Year's Eve. The Chinese New Year technically begins on 初一 (chū yī) - the first day of the lunar year - and doesn't come to a close until 元宵节 (yuán xiāo jié) - the fifteenth day, also known as the Lantern Festival. That's fifteen whole days of celebration, so you could definitely Unlike the American New Year, the Chinese New Year is celebrated continually for 15 days after New Year’s Day, when the first full moon of the year occurs. In preparation for such an extensive celebration, all houses are cleaned to sweep away bad spirits and decorated to reflect the commemoration of the new year. This year, Chinese New Year begins on Wednesday, January 29. Those who celebrate will be entering the year of the snake. Just like with any holiday, traditions abound for Chinese New Year. Some of It’s tradition to eat an apple on Christmas Eve. This is not just any apple – it’s a Peace Apple. One of the most common Chinese Christmas traditions among young people is to send cellophane-wrapped apples as gifts to their friends. The apples are also often sold with printed messages like ‘love’, ‘peace’ and ‘Merry Christmas’.
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