节日名 Greeting season 春节 The Spring Festival 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 习俗 Customs 过年 Guo-nian; have the Spring Festival 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 Festivalshopping 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 loudpop.) 舞狮 lion dance (The lion is believed to be able to dispel evil and bringgood 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 Culture Note: In the old days, New Year's money was given in the form ofone hundred copper coins strung together on a red string and symbolized the hopethat one would live to be a hundred years old. Today, money is placed inside redenvelopes in denominations considered auspicious and given to represent luck andwealth 辞旧岁 bid farewell to the old year 扫房 spring cleaning; general house-cleaning 祝福语 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 国泰民安 The country flourishes and people live in peace 招财进宝 Money and treasures will be plentiful 一帆风顺 Wishing you every success 步步高升 Promoting to a higher position 出入平安 Safe trip wherever you go 祝您新的一年快乐幸福!Wish you happiness and prosperity in the coming year! 祝您事业成功，家庭美满 Wish you success in your career and happiness of yourfamily! 食品 Food 年糕 Nian-gao; rise cake; New Year cake 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 stuffedwith either sweet or spicy fillings 糖果盘 candy tray 什锦糖 assorted candies - sweet and fortune 蜜冬瓜 candied winter melon - growth and good health 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