1. 春节：介绍 2. 写红包信 3. Project Project: finish writing your script (group), Skritter

春 节 Ch ū njié= Spring Festival

The Lunar New Year, also called the Spring Festival, is the most important holiday for the Chinese people everywhere. Basically, CHRISTMAS + THANKSGIVING + NEW YEAR’S DAY in one holiday New Year's Day usually falls on the day of the second new moon The New Year is celebrated with firecrackers, dragon dances and visits to friends and family. It lasts for 15 days and ends with the Lantern Festival.

The Chinese zodiac is based on a 12-year cycle with each year represented by an animal. February 19, 2015 marks the start of the Year of the Goat/Sheep.

In Chinese astrology people born in the Year of the Goat are described as “kind” and “popular”…thought to love peace and to be helpful and trusting, but yet also to be “clinging” and of a nature resistant to change. (Wikipedia)

The entire house should be cleaned before New Year's Day. Sweeping or dusting should not be done on New Year's Day otherwise good fortune will be swept away. 不 “ 吉利 ”(jílì=auspicious/fortune).

Sharp objects should be put away otherwise they will “cut” the luck.

All men and boys should get a haircut.

Families paste scrolls of lucky sayings on their front doors. These are called “chun lian”( 春联 )

Made by Ouyang Xiaofang Decoration Chūn lián 春 联 Spring couplet

A symbol of “Spring” (chún= 春 ) is often hung upside down over the door. It means “Spring has arrived” ( 春到了 )

On New Year’s day itself the whole family sits down to have a huge dinner together.

An important dish is steamed dumplings. The dumplings are shaped like gold ingots and symbolize wealth.

A kind of sticky rice cake called “nian gao” is also popular. It symbolizes the wish for “yearly advancement”.

Pomelos, kumquats and oranges symbolize good luck and prosperity and are often given as gifts on Chinese new year.

Made by Ouyang Xiaofang Special Food jiǎozi 饺子 Chinese dumpling

Made by Ouyang Xiaofang Special Food Nián gāo 年 糕 New year’s rice cake

Children receive gifts of lucky money called “hong bao” 红包 (hóngbāo)

Shooting off firecrackers on New Year's Eve is the Chinese way of sending out the old year and welcoming in the New Year. On the stroke of midnight on New Year's Eve, every door in the house, and even windows, have to be open to allow the old year to go out.

Made by Ouyang Xiaofang Entertainment Biān pào 鞭炮 fireworks Yān huā 烟花 firecrackers

Made by Ouyang Xiaofang

Red clothing is preferred on New Year’s Day. Red is considered a bright, happy color, sure to bring the wearer a sunny and bright future

Made by Ouyang Xiaofang Jiǎn zhĭ 剪 纸 papercuts

In Chinatown you can see the lively dragon and lion dances

The traditional Lion Dance is performed with two people in a lion’s costume. It is accompanied by drums, gongs and cymbals. Click to see a lion dance

In a Dragon Dance, a team of people carry the dragon on poles. Click here to see a Chinese New Year dragon danceClick here to see a Chinese New Year dragon dance

Made by Ouyang Xiaofang Entertainment Wŭ lóng 舞 龙 dragon dance Wŭ shī 舞 狮 lion dance

The Chinese new year celebrations end on the 15 th day of the first moon with the Lantern Festival 元宵 节 yuánxiāojié.

On this day brightly lit lanterns are paraded through the streets.

And floated upon the water

Many lanterns have riddles hidden in them.

People eat a kind of sweet dessert called 元宵 yuánxiao.

Go to this site to learn a Chinese New Year Song:this site GongXi Fa Cai– Chinese New Year Song

18 Greetings you need to know for Chinese New Year… 18 Greetings you need to know for Chinese New Year…

祝你 …(zhù n ǐ =wish you) 恭喜发财 (gōngx ǐ fācái): congrats on good fortune 财源广进 (cáiyuánguàngjìn): fortune flows in 年年有余 (niánniány ǒ uyú): every year has surplus 万事如意 (wànshìrúyì): ten thousand things go as planned 学业有成 (xuéyèy ǒ uchéng) ： school success 心想事成 (xīnxi ǎ ngshìchèng) ： success to whatever your heart desires 恭贺新禧 (gōnghèxīnx ǐ ): Happy New Year’s (fancy) 新年快乐 (xīnniánkuàilè) ： Happy New Year

1. 春节考试 2. 剪纸 3. Project: Stevenson Life Project: work on your video(group), Skritter

春 节 Spring Festival

今年是 … 2 月 19 号

羊年 =yángnián=Year of the Goat

祝你恭喜发财 (zhùn ǐ gōngx ǐ fācái)

Made by Ouyang Xiaofang Jiǎn zhĭ 剪 纸 papercuts

春 chūn(spring) 喜 + 喜 xǐ(like/happine ss) 春 chūn(spring)