New Year's Eve 除夕 (chú xī)

The origin of New Year's Eve It’s the eve of the spring festival. It’s also called ( 年三十 ). there is a legend : In ancient times there is a ferocious monster called ( 夕 ) every time at the end of the year comes out harming people. Later, people figure out that ( 夕 ) afraid of tow things: red color and laud sounds. So, at last day of the year, every family posted red couplet, using firecrackers to keep that monster away from their homes. In order to get peace for the new year, this custom from that time handed down to this day.

What are people doing ? That day people eat, drink and have fun. 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 eve, every door in the house, and even widows, have to be open to allow the old year to go out.

FOOD The biggest event of any Chinese New Year's Eve is the dinner every family will have. After dinner, in northern China, it is customary to make dumplings (jiaozi) to eat around midnight. Dumplings symbolize wealth because their shape resembles a Chinese sycee. In contrast, in the South, it is customary to make a new year cake (niangao) and send pieces of it as gifts to relatives and friends in the coming days.jiaozisyceeniangao

年糕（ nián-gāo ， rice cake; new year cake ）

饺子 (jiǎo zi, Dumplings)