Chinese New year
By Chen Qiang

The Chinese New Year or Spring Festival is the most important festival for Chinese people. All people living away from home go back. It originated in the Shang Dynasty from the people’s sacrifice to gods and ancestors at the end of an old year and the beginning of a new one.
When Chinese New Year comes my family is very busy. It’s because it is very special and important. We have to prepare many special things to get ready for this festival.
First, we make a big New Year meal. Then, we make “Good-luck wishes” and finally we sett off firecrackers.
The New Year’s meal is delicious and we think that eating it brings us good luck. A long time ago, Chinese people believed red color could bring us good luck too. We also set off firecrackers to frighten ghosts away. A popular tale explains the story of a monster that at the end of the year came down from the mountains and devoured the farmers, until a boy frightened it with a few explosions of gunpowder and he created the custom of saying goodbye to the year with firecrackers.
On the New Year’s Eve everyone sits around the table and has a big family dinner. There are some vegetables, some fish, some meat, some fruits and some drink like juice, Coke, Pepsi and some rice wine. Overall, this is a good and delicious dinner. After dinner, we always watch New Year’s programmes on TV. We have a wonderful evening on New Year’s Eve.
On the first day of Spring Festival, most of people get up early and say “happy new year” to each other. For breakfast, people often eat dumplings and baozi. After breakfast, people often make many delicious foods and children often play cards, computer games and fireworks. On the second and third day, we visit friends and relatives.
Everyone is busy on Chinese New Year, and everyone is happy too.
Chinese New Year is very popular amongst students, because we can have a long and happy holiday.