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| Ancient Chinese New Year Customs |
Happy New Year's Eve Dinner
On the Chinese New Year's Eve, grand banquets
are prepared in each household. The luxurious
dishes at this dinner all have auspicious meanings.
Dinner starts only when all the family members
have arrived. All the family members, young
and old, sit around the table. While at dinner,
they repeatedly express good wishes for the
New Year. This feast is called the New Year's
Eve Dinner, commonly known as the Happy Family
Reunion Dinner.
People stay awake throughout the Chinese New
Year's Eve. After the New Year's Eve dinner,
all the family members sit around with the candles
lit, eating fruit and snacks and playing games
until late at night or early in the morning.
This is the New Year's Eve Vigil, so called
'Shou Sui', is a custom popularly practiced
in all parts of China. This custom signifies
ringing out the old year and ringing in the
new. It also expresses wishes for the longevity
of parents in the family. |
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