Chinese New Year’s Eve is a time of family togetherness. The day is spent bidding farewell to the old year and making preparations for the new year.
The traditionally minded thank their ancestors and the gods for their blessings and protection. Chinese people that have migrated from their hometowns will head home – if they haven’t already done so.
And I can tell you, traveling in China in the run up to Chinese New Year is not for the faint of heart. I did it once many years ago, and I swore I would never do it again.
Because it is considered bad luck to sweep the floor or throw things away on New Year’s Day, most families will do a thorough cleanup on Chinese New Year’s Eve – sort of like spring cleaning in the West, except that everyone does it on the same day.
There is usually a big family reunion dinner on Chinese New Year’s Eve, and many people also head to the temporary flower markets that are set up in public parks or sports grounds to buy flowers, cherry blossoms, and mandarin orange trees. Â
Copyright: Michael Taylor