1. Chinese New Year

2. China is famous for the Great Wall.
Chinese New Year began in China a very, very long time ago. It is centuries old - No one quite knows when it started. Now, Chinese New Year is celebrated in many countries around the world.
China is famous for the Great Wall.

3. The Chinese New Year Day changes from year to year
The Chinese New Year Day changes from year to year. The celebrations last for 15 days altogether.
Before New Year’s Day, Chinese people will clean their houses because they believe this will sweep away all the bad luck from the last year.

4. On New Year’s Eve, families will have dinner together
On New Year’s Eve, families will have dinner together. Dumplings are a popular food because they look like gold or silver ingots.

5. Elders will give red envelopes with money inside them to the younger members of the family, like to their children or grandchildren. This is to wish them good luck and a wealthy life.

6. During the New Year celebrations, you will see lion and dragon dances.

7. On the last day of the Chinese New Year celebrations, there is the lantern festival .

8. Have you ever wondered why there is so much red and hear lots of firecrackers and fireworks during Chinese New Year?

9. The Chinese New Year story
Nian The Dragon
The Chinese New Year story

10. A long, long time ago in China, there lived a nasty dragon
A long, long time ago in China, there lived a nasty dragon. The dragon’s name was Nian.

11. Around every Chinese New Year, Nian would go to the villages and steal the villagers’ food. Nian would also destroy the villagers’ homes.

12. The villagers didn’t know what to do until, one day, a wise old man came and told everyone Nian’s weakness.

13. Nian was scared of the colour red and loud noises.
So, the villagers painted their houses red and when Nian came, they lit fire crackers and made loud noises.
Nian never returned again.
So that’s why you will see lots of red (a lucky colour) and hear lots of fire crackers on Chinese New Year.

14. Happy Chinese New Year!