Greeting Season: 春节The Spring Festival 过年Guo-nian; have the Spring Festival Culture Note: In the old days, New Year's money was given in the form of one hundred copper coins strung together on a red string and symbolized the hope that one would live to be a hundred years old. Today, money is placed inside red envelopes in denominations considered auspicious and given to represent luck and wealth 辞旧岁bid farewell to the old year 祝你新的一年快乐幸福Wish you happiness and prosperity in the coming year! Food names: 年糕Nian-gao; rise cake; New Year cake
农历lunar calendar
正月lunar January; the first month by lunar calendar
除夕New Year's Eve; eve of lunar New Year
初一the beginning of New Year
元宵节The Lantern Festival
Customs:
对联poetic couplet: two successive rhyming lines in poetry
春联Spring Festival couplets
剪纸paper-cuts
年画New Year paintings
买年货special purchases for the Spring Festival ; do Spring Festival shopping
敬酒propose a toast
灯笼lantern: a portable light
烟花fireworks
爆竹firecrackers (People scare off evil spirits and ghosts with the loud pop.)
红包red packets (cash wrapped up in red paper, symbolize fortune and wealth in the coming year.)
舞狮lion dance (The lion is believed to be able to dispel evil and bring good luck.)
舞龙dragon dance (to expect good weather and good harvests)
戏曲traditional opera
杂耍variety show; vaudeville
灯谜riddles written on lanterns
灯会exhibit of lanterns
守岁staying-up
拜年pay New Year's call; give New Year's greetings; New Year's visit
禁忌taboo
去晦气get rid of the ill-fortune
祭祖宗offer sacrifices to one's ancestors
压岁钱gift money; money given to children as a lunar New Year gift
扫房spring cleaning; general house-cleaning
Blessings:
金玉满堂Treasures Fill The Home
生意兴隆Business Flourishes
岁岁平安Peace All Year Round
恭喜发财Wishing You Prosperity
和气生财Harmony Brings Wealth
心想事成May All Your Wishes Come True
吉祥如意Everything Goes Well
国泰平安The Country Flourishes And People Live In Peace
招财进宝Money And Treasures Will He Plentiful
一帆风顺Wishing You Every Success
步步高升Promoting ToA Higher Position
出入平安Safe Trip Wherever You Go
事业成功，家庭美满Wish you success in your career and happiness of your family!
团圆饭family reunion dinner
年夜饭the dinner on New Year's Eve
饺子Jiao-zi; Chinese meat ravioli
汤圆Tang-yuan; dumplings made of sweet rice, rolled into balls and stuffed with either sweet or spicy fillings
八宝饭eight treasures rice pudding
糖果盘candy tray
什锦糖assorted candies-sweet and fortune
蜜冬瓜candied winter melon - growth and good health
西瓜子red melon seed - joy, happiness, truth and sincerity
金桔cumquat - prosperity
糖莲子candied lotus seed - many descendents to come
糖藕candied lotus root - fulfilling love relationship
红枣red dates - prosperity
花生糖peanut candy - sweet
