On New Year’s Eve, the streets are adorned with red ribbons folded into flowers, red fairy lights and banners made from red and gold paper with messages of good luck written on them. The city is fluid in the vibrant and jubilant atmosphere. Couples stroll down the streets, laughing and whispering to each other; children run around with blushed cheeks, grinning with widened eyes when they see a piece of unusual decoration; the elderly smile contentedly on their wheelchairs pushed by their sons or daughters. People greet and bless one another even though they do not know each other. It is a day when all indifference and suspicion is replaced by friendliness and goodwill.
The highlight of the day is almost certainly the Dragon Dance and the fireworks. The Dragon Dance is a traditional Chinese dance, which involves a dozen or so performers holding the ‘dragon’ up on poles, raising and lowering the ‘dragon’ in an undulating manner, accopanied by Chinese folk instruments such as drums and gongs. It is believed that the Dragon Dance performed on New Year's Eve scares away the evil spirits and all the bad luck. My grandfather always tells us tales of the dragon on our way back home. Curiously, I still find them interesting even though I have heard the stories for numerous times. In the evening, there is an official firework display in most parts of China. It is not long after the display starts when the night sky is embellished with twinkling flowers and stars of myriad colours, with every new one brighter and more magnificent than the previous one, accompanied by the exclamations of the gathering crowd and the snaps of cameras.
The day always ends with a large, traditional family meal when family members from all over the world come together. All the best food and wine are served along special festive food such as sticky rice pudding and steamed dumplings. Because everyone of the family is present, it provides a rare chance for family members to enquire after each other, especially those who live far away. I can also play with my young relatives whom I seldom see. Moreover, adults hand out red packets which contain money to children at the end of the meal, as a form of blessing and treat.
The New Year’s Day marks the beginning of the fifteen-day celebration. In the fifteen days, my family visits friends and families and sometimes worship Gods and ancestors in the temples, praying for good luck in the coming year. The next highlight is the Lantern Festival which falls on the last day of the Chinese New Year celebrations. It is the Chinese version of the Valentine’s Day. On this day, hundreds of thousands of lanterns, often with complex, sophisticated designs, would be hung around the streets for people, especially the couples to appreciate. It is a breathtaking sight as the whole city is lit by the kaleidoscopic lanterns. Romantic riddles with solutions are often written on a piece of paper and hung from the lanterns, which aim to amuse the couples. At night, young couples eat small glutinous rice balls called yuanxiao which symbolises harmony, union and happiness while gazing up the liquid, silvery full moon in the quiescent sky, whispering words of love and retelling ancient romantic stories of the gods and goddesses.
By the end of the Chinese New Year celebrations, we are all happy, refreshed and ready to face the challenges of the coming year. Even though the celebrations have ended, the joyous and harmonious ambience continue to linger for a period of time.
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