The first day of the first lunar month is Spring Festival, the beginning of a new year for China. Spring Festival is China's biggest extravaganza and a day for family reunion. Being around family members at the turn of the year is a vital ritual for the Chinese people. Many of those living away from their hometowns return home during Spring Festival, which gives rise to what's called "the largest annual human migration in the world", also known as the "Spring Festival travel rush".

The Spring Festival celebration is a continuous process, starting from the 23rd or 24th of the 12th lunar month. People often worship the Kitchen God, clean their houses, do their shopping and put up Spring Festival couplets（blessing words posted on door frames） until New Year's Eve on the lunar calendar. These customs can be traced back to a Chinese legend.

It is said that in ancient times, there was a monster named Nian, who would come out and harm the world by the end of each lunar year. People then took measures to send the monster away, such as putting up red couplets as Nian detested the color red, and setting off fireworks and firecrackers at their doors to scare it away. 

In addition to staying up late on New Year's Eve, having a New Year's Eve dinner and watching the Spring Festival Gala are two important customs of Spring Festival. New Year's Eve dinner are manifested in different ways in different parts of China. Those in South China must have a dish of fish, because "fish" in Chinese sounds similar to the character for "prosperity" symbolizing an abundant and comfortable life. Those in North China often eat dumplings, which symbolize "reunion" and "fortune". The Spring Festival Gala is a variety TV program broadcast annually to celebrate the lunar New Year. The gala attracts the largest audience of any entertainment show in the world, and runs for more than four hours, making it the longest TV show in the world. It is often hailed as a cultural feast for Chinese people on New Year's Eve.

There is also a custom of of giving and receiving red envelopes, or hongbao. Traditionally, adults placed money into red envelopes and gave them to the children to wish them peace and good luck in the coming year. Nowadays, with the popularization of mobile payment in China, it is a trend to send red envelopes digitally. The internet can deliver New Year's wishes to each and every loved one, even if they are thousands of miles away.

The joyous atmosphere of Chinese New Year will linger until the first full moon of the first lunar month. Then the Lantern Festival is celebrated, which is bound to be another busy day.

Another year of good fortune is beginning in China. Fireworks pop high in the sky. Dragons dance in the streets. and the city closes down to celebrate Chinese celebrate Chinese New Year.In Chinese culture, it’s the most important time of the year. Rules and traditions and customs passed down through ages. The celebration last for 15 magic days full of family togetherness, delicious food and good fortune. Today Chinese New Year is built with happiness. But according to legend,it didn’t start out that way.

Spring Festival, Chun Jie is the first day of the Chinese lunar calendar. When Chun Jie is approaching, people are busy purchasing good, cleaning the house, cooking traditional food, making Spring Festival couplets, and hanging spring festival pictures. Having a family dinner is the main activity on Chun Jie. Dumplings are essential to the dinner. Dumplings represent reunion and goodwill. The whole family gathers to enjoy quality family time.

On Chun Jie, Lunar New Year's Day people in new clothes visit each other, and give money to kids to send good wishes. During Chun Jie holidays all kinds of celebrations are held, including temple fairs, performances, an Lantern exhibitions which lasts nearly half a month.

Today Chinese New Year brings families together all over the world. In fact billions of people travel back to their homes and families in China to feast on a delicious reunion dinner with plates and plates of homemade food. Many of the foods like egg rolls, noodles and shrimp means omething special. Egg rolls symbolize wealth for the coming year because they look like bars of solid gold. Changming noodles shouldn’t be cut because long noodles symbolize health for a long life.Shrimp symbolizes happiness because the Mandarin words for shrimp and smile sounds very similar. As part of the festivities,lucky red envelopes called Hongbao are passed out to children as well as unmarried adults. In Chinese culture, the color red symbolizes luck. In order to receive red envelopes, well wishes are given to the elders. Money is inside each envelope to bring prosperity and good fortune in the coming year. Duringall the 15 days in the new year, it is a time to reflect the past year and celebrate the future. Bright fireworks light up the sky, and huge parade wind in street until the final day ofthe new year celebration. The Lantern festival when thousands of lanterns glow in the night to bring good fortune to all. No matter where you live, you can join the festivities. Whether it’s one reunion dinner with your family or 15 days of celebrating togetherness. Chinese New Year is open to everyone. We invite you to learn more and join the celebration at Panda Express where good fortunes miles.