Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Chinese New Year

Everyone is familiar with the New Year ,but does everyone know the beauty of Chinese New Year or The Spring Festival? Well, the holiday is really based off the lunar calendar so that's why it's a different date. Also it's a celebration of spring or almost spring(close enough.) This holiday falls on different days every year. Usually it falls between late January and Mid-February. This holiday has many symbols and icons you can say that you that relate to something lucky or religious. Like for example the Cherry Blossom represents the coming of spring and it's beauty and simplicity. So everyone year people that celebrate this joyful holiday usually clean their house first then decorate it. The most common decoration is maybe have Cherry Blossom branches in a beautiful vase and decorated with little red and gold trinket, Basically like a Christmas tree. Also one of the signature things during this time of season is lanterns. Traditionally, they were usually made with paper or silk and shaped into a normal traditional shaped lantern or into a lucky object of some sort like a goldfish,louts flower, and the list goes on and on, but now they make some from plastic or alternative materials. During the 15 days of this holiday people usually put up there decoration to make their homes workplace... festive and colorful. So basically it's the Asian equivalent of Christmas. Don't get me wrong the two holidays are very different but they do share similar aspects. Like for example the Christmas tree and Cherry Blossom branches; both are very beautiful and a symbol of the holiday yet they are totally useless. See now yes, the two holidays are different and come from different backgrounds and religions ,but they both have a very simple meaning to everyone to celebrates it. They both make winter and very bitter and harsh season into a joyful and happy season of giving and sharing time with loved ones.

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