My Favorite Chinese Festival

There are a lot of Chinese festivals that we can all enjoy, like Dragon Day and all that we like. We can do various ways to celebrate a festival—usually according to family traditions (if you have one). Today, we will be talking about my favorite festival: the New Year. People celebrate it for fun, like watching the dragon dance or even contributing to it. They can go on a family gathering and maybe watch the Olympics, that’s what I like to do on Chinese New Year's. Many feelings can be expressed too, like if it is Sweptown day, you might feel sad for your ancestors who've passed away, or happy at festivals like Dragon Boat, where you spend your time on a boat or watch the competition of the boat racing.

Behind the scenes, there is a legend behind all of the festivals we celebrate, no matter whether it makes one happy or sad. Behind the stage, there is always a legend to the festival. I like the New Year festival better than every other festival I can think of, and there is a legend to that, too. Here it is: Long ago, there was a monster that looked like a dragon named Nian. Nian attacks the villagers annually, destroying everything, gobbling up any sight of life. Usually, all the villagers flee to the mountains for safety, but one year, a new villager stayed. He is new, a beggar and scared Nian, who’s a villager in exchange for shelter. He did his job well. Soon, the villagers realized that their houses were untouched and all covered in red. They soon find out that Nian is afraid of red, loud noises, and bright lights. Bonas: The name Nian is actually in pinyin for the Chinese word 年(nían). And the short sentence: “Guo Nian” (过年) means “passing the Nian”. And this is the legend for my favorite festival! 

Chinese New Year is a time when you can spend time with your family and make some memorable memories. It usually happens between January 21 and February 20. Families come together to honor their ancestors. One of the most thrilling things about the festivals is when the families gather on New Year's Eve to enjoy eating fish and dumplings, it means fortune, bring you happiness from eating all that food and also fill up your tummy. During the holiday, people often take their time to start decoration their homes. Red can be defined as a color of happiness. Fire works will be lit and with a pew it flies out into the sky with a “boom” of colorful light as it scares away the evil spirits and bring the good ones back. Another activity is the dragon dance. They dance in a dragon costume and make the dragon look like it is flying by lifting poles connected to the dragon. This dance is being told to scare away bad luck. Overall, Chinese New Year is a time filled with family, food, and fun, making it a special celebration for everyone involved.

Chinese New Year makes many feelings that can make many people happy or sad. When the festival comes, people start to prepare by cleaning their homes and buying new things. This makes a cozy, happy feeling to be prepared. Families look forward to getting into shape, which makes hearts feel warm and happy. On New Year's Eve, families get together for a dinner. The table is filled with food, and everyone has a good time feasting. This moment brings feelings of love and cancels out the aloneness. It is a time when people feel thankful for their family and friends. Many also think about the past year and what they want for the new year. This mix of joy and reflection makes the night unique. The celebrations begin, and the sights and the sounds of fireworks and lion dances come into our minds. These events bring feelings of wonder and excitement. Fireworks light up the sky, making people feel hopeful for a good future. But some may feel a little sad during this time. They might miss family members who cannot be with them. This feeling can help us remember the importance of family. Overall, the Chinese New Year is a time with of joy, love, and hope, giving good memories for everyone.

I chose the Lunar New Year festival because I like to celebrate by watching the dragon dance on TV, or sometimes, every four years, if I get lucky, I can watch the Olympics. I don’t care what it is about–it always interests me a lot. One thing I am looking forward to is the usual trip we take to some place, like the Grand Canyon–that was the first time I saw snow. Also, I might get a red envelope too. I also enjoy the movie we watch late at night to burn time until the clock strikes midnight with the twelve clangs of the built-in bell. That’s when I usually go to bed at New Year, and also a few days after it, too. We still celebrate the New Year even after it ended for a few days. It is sure a delightful festival you can celebrate in various ways!