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days are used for inviting of friends and relatives for a dinner.

DAY THIRTEEN
On this day Chinese people eat only rice and mustard greens (choi sum) for cleaning their body after all the rich food of the days before.

DAY FOURTEEN
This is the day which is used for the preparation of the Lantern Festival.

DAY FIFTEEN
This day is the Lantern Festival. Families walk through the streets and are carrying decorative lanterns.

There are some traditions which start already before New Year's Day:

CLEANING

The cleaning the house will be done before New Year. The real meaning of the cleaning of the house is sweeping away of bad luck of the previous year. It is forbidden to clean the first days of the New Year because there is a common belief that you otherwise sweep away your good luck for the coming year.

DECORATING
All the doors and windows are painted before New Year's Day and mostly in red: the color of good luck. It is a custom to have blooming plants and flowers during the celebrations for symbolizing rebirth and new growth. The Peach blossom and Plum Blossom are symbols for good luck; the Kumquat plants will care for prosperity and happiness: the Narcissus and Chrysanthemum predict a long life and a good health. The Bamboo is a traditional plant which can be used on every moment of the year.

THE KITCHEN GOD
Another important tradition is to offer a ceremonial sacrifice to the Kitchen God. This will happen 5 days before the Chinese New Year and most families have a picture of the Kitchen God hanging above the stove. The sacrifice is a typical Chinese cake which they offer to the Kitchen God and with the intention to get a report for good behavior. It is necessary to hang every year a new picture of "the Kitchen God".

CHINESE DUMPLINGS
On New Years' eve many families celebrate the evening together by preparing Jiaozo (a kind of Chinese dumplings). It is a tradition to hide a coin in one of the dumplings and the one who gets the dumpling with the coin is supposed to have good luck in the coming year.

CHINESE DRESSING
The Chinese people buy new clothes and shoes before New Year's Day. They will wear these clothes, which are often red with the New Year's celebrations. Red is the color of good luck and forecast a year with happiness. Also if you need a new haircut you need to do it before the Festival starts.

THE LUCKY MONEY
The Lucky money is a typical Chinese custom where relatives and friends give a red envelope filled with money to children. The red envelope is decorated with Chinese characters and symbols. This custom symbolizes the giving of good fortune and the children will use this money for buying something they like. The red color is the symbol for happiness and good luck for the coming year.

THE DRAGON
The dragon can be called the symbol" of the Chinese New Year and prospers strength, goodness and good luck. The dragon is a mythical figure which represents the combination of many animals. During the Chinese New Year celebrations there are many parades through the streets where people are dressed in clothes of dragons. They wear clothes made in brightly colored silk and decorated exorbitant. Don't be surprised if you see dragons with a length of 100 feet!

The Chinese New Year is not only celebrated in China but in every country of the world where Chinese people live. The celebrations are maybe different in you compare these in the different countries but the main principles are the same.

Learn more about this author, Erik Van Tongerloo.
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