By Kiersten

“Happy new year!’’ they say in America. But, did you know that they don’t say that in China? Chinese new year falls on February 8, 2016. It is also known as the spring festival. The Chinese new year is celebrated at the end of the Chinese calendar.

According to the Chinese zodiac, next year is the year of the monkey. They year of the monkey is characterized by being quick-witted, sharp, and optimistic. Chinese new year is a time to celebrate deities as well as ancestors. Occasionally, it is tradition for family to gather and have reunion dinner.

The Chinese family also cleans the house of ill-fortune, which makes incoming good luck come into the household. Windows and door are decorated in red colored paper. The meaning of red in Chinese is celebration. On the red paper they put “good fortune” or ‘’happiness’’. The families also pop fireworks and they give out money in red envelopes.

They also have a little parade. They have people dressing as dragons and sometimes lions. They have dragons and lions because it is said the colors of the dragon and lion are suppose to scare off the demons.

Happy Chinese New Year and good fortune to all.