Chinese Holiday

“Gong Xi Fa Cai!” This is the Chinese New Year greeting means wishing you prosperity. Each day of New Year holiday holds a special significance according to local traditions. Chinese will welcome the New Year with lots of celebrations. You can choose your own favors way to celebrate your Chinese New Year:

On Lunar Jan.1 (January 23, 2012)

•        Fireworks at midnight—every city of China will celebrate the Chinese New Year with huge and fantasy fireworks. The biggest firework, the most wonderful luck!

Image credit: by AP/Vincent Yu, on sacbee.com

•        First visit in Temple at midnight—A devotee prays for good luck and burn joss sticks at Temple.

Image credit: by AP/Eugene Hoshiko, on sacbee.com

•        Celebrate Concert at midnight—Lots of performers dance with dragons (because 2012 is a dragon year) to celebrate the start of the Chinese New Year. Each year dancers has different themes (12 animals: Dragon, Snake, Horse, Sheep, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, Pig, Rat, Ox, Tiger, & Rabbit) to dance to welcome the coming year.

Image credit: by AP/Vincent Yu, on sacbee.com

•        Celebrate Show—Actors will dress as Qing Dynasty emperor pray for good harvest and fortune at the first day of the Chinese New Year.

Image credit: by AP/Andy Wong, on sacbee.com

•        Dragon Dance—Performers take each part of dragon in a dragon dance in almost every day of the Chinese New Year (15 days). Chinese thinks the more dragon dance will bring more happiness.

Image credit: by AP/Vincent Yu, on sacbee.com