Here are some interesting Chinese New Year Facts especially for kids.
1. Chinese New Year has enjoyed a history of about 3,500 years.
The Chinese New Year has been celebrated in China over 3500 years. The Spring Festival was originally a ceremonial day to pray to the gods for a good planting and harvest. People also pray to their ancestors. During the celebrations, ancestors are honored and traditional ceremonies are held. People get together and welcome to the new year with customs that shall bring good luck, good fortune wealth prosperity, and happiness. Learn more about the History of Chinese New Year
2. The origins of the Chinese New Year are steeped in legend.
The most famous origin story of the Chinese New Year is related to a monster named Nian who ate livestock, crops, and even people on the eve of a new year. Then a wise monk told the villagers they should make loud noises and use red paper cutouts and hang them over their doors to skate Nian way. This idea worked and the villagers were able to defeat Nian. This was the day that Nian was defeated and it became the start of the new year Chinese New Year. Learn about the Top 3 Chinese New Year Legends/Stories.
Chinese New Year beast Nian3. 1/6 of the world's population celebrated Chinese New Year.
Chinese New Year is not only celebrated in Chinese mainland but also observed in many other Asian countries and regions as well as China towns around the world.
4. Chinese New Year is also called Lunar New Year and is celebrated also as Spring Festival.
It is called Lunar New Year because it's the first day of a new year of the Chinese "lunar" calendar. The festival marks the first lunar phase or new moon of a new year on China's lunisolar calendar.
It is named the 'Spring Festival' because it takes place within the Chinese solar term 'Beginning of Spring' (approximately February 4–20) or the previous solar term. It is a festival that marks the end of winter and the beginning of spring (or a looking forward to them in the north), and represents the desire for new life and success.
5. The festival date changes every year.
The festival date changes every year this is because it follows the lunar calendar which is based on the movement of the moon and it usually defines traditional festivals like the Chinese New Year or Spring Festival, Lantern Festival, Dragon Boat Festival, and the Mid-autumn Day. The new year starts at the beginning of this lunar calendar and ends with Lantern Festival which is on the fifteenth day. Usually, it falls in a day between mid-January and mid-February. In 2024, It is actually on February 10th and the festival will last to February 24th. Read more on Chinese New Year dates from 2024 to 2030.
6. Chinese people enjoy a 8-day public holiday.
Chinese New Year celebrations typically start on the evening before the new moon (Chinese New Year's Day), and end on the evening of the full moon 15 days later (Lantern Festival). Chinese New Year public holiday is eight days long from the Lunar New Year's 1st day to the 8th day of the first lunar month in China.
7. Chinese New Year is often celebrated with Lion dances and dragon dances.
Lion dances and dragon dances are widely seen in China and Chinatowns in many Western countries during the Lunar New Year period. They are performed to bring prosperity and good luck for the upcoming year or event.
Lion dance8. Each Chinese year is associated with an animal sign.
Each Chinese year is associated with an animal sign according to the Chinese zodiac cycle, which features 12 animal signs in the order Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, Pig. 2024 is the year of the Dragon.
9. Gong Xi Fa Cai is the most popular greeting.
Gong Xi Fa Cai is the most popular greeting during this celebration and means have a prosperous new year. See more Chinese New Year Greetings and Wishes for Family and Friends.
10. People eat auspicious foods during the festival.
The most famous and lucky food at the festival is dumplings. They're eaten because they represent wealth. The more dumplings you can eat the more money you will make. There are many other tasty dishes served as well including rice cakes, spring rolls, fish, and rice dumplings. Oranges tangerines are also displayed because they are thought to bring good luck and fortune due to their pronunciation. Food is often prepared seven days before and you cannot use a knife or fire for cooking on New Year's Day cutting with a knife. Many believe will bring bad luck. See 7 Lucky Chinese New Year Foods.
11. Firecrackers and fireworks are lit in hopes to bring goog luck.
Firecrackers and fireworks are lit in hopes that they will bring good luck and good fortune. However, due to security reasons firecrackers are not allowed in many areas now. So official fireworks displays were held instead. Originally burning bamboos crackling was thought to keep away evil demons. People used to burn this on Chinese New Year's Eve but with the invention of fireworks and firecrackers, these replace their tradition of burning bamboo. See more on Why Chinese New Year Must Have Firecrackers.
12. Families will visit each other and exchange gifts
During the second day of the new year, families will visit each other and exchange gifts. Make sure that you give an even number of gifts. The number 8 is considered an especially lucky number during the celebration. See Best Chinese New Year Gift Ideas of 2024 for Friends, Parents, Kids and 10 Things You Should Not Give as a Chinese New Year Gift.
Chinese new year gifts are always in red.13. Red is a lucky color of Chinese New Year.
Red is a lucky color in China and almost everything is red during Chinese New Year. Houses are decorated with red, Spring Festival couplets, red lanterns, and red paper cuttings. You'll also find numerous people dressed in red in the towns and cities. Red was also a valuable tool to make Nian go away this is why it is used in almost all Chinese New Year decorations.
14. Kids receive red envelopes as gifts.
Envelopes of lucky money are traditional gifts for children during the Chinese New Year period. Children get these red envelopes from their parents, older relatives, and married family members. These red envelopes called hong bao in mandarin symbolize prosperity and happiness. People give red envelopes to show their goodwill and give blessings for the new year. Billions of those red envelopes are exchanged. See Who You Should Give Red Envelopes to and How Much to Give.
15. Children love the holiday.
Children love the holiday because they get a month off of school. They also get new clothes to wear and receive those red envelopes.
16. People wear new clothes to bring fortune.
It is also believed that wearing new clothes can bring fortune and health. This is why parents will buy new clothes for their children which they wear for the reunion dinner on Chinese New Year's Eve. Most people will mainly be dressed in their new red clothing for the festivities.
17. There are many taboos during the period of the Chinese New Year.
There are some things that you cannot do during the period of Chinese New Year, such as getting your hair cut, using scissors, and saying unlucky words like death or sickness. Do not do laundry on Chinese New Year, otherwise, you will wash away good luck and wealth. See more on Chinese New Year Taboos and Superstitions: Top 18 Things You Should Not Do.
