喜庆的大红春联是对联的一种，在春节时张贴，故名春联。最初在古代是人们用来避邪迎福的~ 因为是对联的一种，所以通常成对张贴，而双数在中国文化中也象征吉祥好运~当然咯，通常大家都会上街买现成的春联，您要是有雅兴，也可以自己铺纸泼墨，写春联~

 

Chinese characters that are auspicious for the coming year are generally written on two pieces of red paper with ink and a brush, and glued by the sides of the doors.

一过年，各家各户、大街小巷都能看见“福”字。根据中国传统，民间为了更充分的体现祈福，干脆将"福"字倒过来贴，表示"幸福已到"、"福气已到”。据说，真正贴福字的时间应该在大年三十的下午，日落之前，且顺序应该是从外向里贴，先贴“抬头福”（房内一进门正前方），再贴门福，以此类推，最后一个才能贴倒福，意味着一年的福气都要从外面流进来。

 

The character fu, or “happiness” is usually written on red diamond-shaped posters. They are usually stuck upside down on the doors. This is because the Chinese character dao (upside down) has the same sound as another dao, which means “arrive”. Placing fu upside down symbolizes the arrival of happiness.

对于很多人来说，过年最期待，最重要的一项活动就是吃年夜饭了~在鞭炮声中，全家人围坐在一起，共进晚餐，一同辞旧迎新。年夜饭也叫团圆饭，是农历除夕的最后一餐。这一餐也是必须相当的丰盛~ 一般来说，大家都讲究要吃鱼，象征年年有余，也会有饺子、馄饨、元宵、长面或年糕等主食。

 

It is the most sumptuous and ceremonious dinner of the year for a family. No matter how far they are away from home, people manage to return for a dinner with other family members on Chinese New Year’s Eve. And more than enough food is prepared, showing abundance and wealth. Most dishes have their own cultural meanings, all showing people’s good wishes for the new year. For example, fish is always served, because fish is pronounced in Chinese as “yu”, which means having more than just enough.

过去二十多年来，每年除夕看春晚都成了中国人的一种传统了~ 当然咯，虽然这两年来越来越多的人觉得春晚变无聊了，评价也大不如前，但是全家一起坐在电视前聊着天，调侃嬉笑，也是非常难得的事儿~ 所以，重点已经不是春晚的节目啦~ 阖家欢乐才最重要~

 

During the past 23 years, watching the CCTV annual Spring Festival Eve Gala has been popular. At eight o'clock on lunar New Year's eve, families gather in front of the TV, watching, chatting and waiting for the lunar New Year's arrival. Although in recent years, more and more people have found the show boring, most of them still watch it and give their opinions afterwards. Much more than a TV programme, the show brings the whole family together and offers them a good topic for conversation.

传说中，烟花爆竹最开始是用来驱赶“年”这头怪兽的。而现在放烟花、点鞭炮主要是为了增加节日气氛，让年味更浓。最近两年，由于北方雾霾严重，政府都会提醒大家尽量减少燃放烟花爆竹，减轻空气污染。而烟花爆竹的售价也是越来越让人“望而却步”了呢~

 

Chinese people traditionally set off fireworks during Spring Festival, in the belief that this helps scare off the Nian and brings good fortune at the beginning of the year and good luck throughout the year.

大年初一那天，家长们都会带领小辈出门谒见亲戚、朋友、尊长，说吉祥话向亲朋们祝颂新年，有的地方还讲究晚辈给老人磕头行礼。主人家则以点心、糖食、红包（压岁钱）热情款待。拜年的传统时间应该是除夕零点以后，这个时候新的一年真正开始，大家互相祝贺，而早于零点就属于拜早年，如果晚于正月初十就属于晚年了。民间有句谚语：“有心拜年十五不晚。”当然咯，网络时代咱都流行微信拜年了，也没人会耗到那么晚了吧~

 

It’s important that you pay relatives and friends a new year’s call during the holiday. This is done at people’s homes from New Year’s Day to the 15th day, or the Lantern Festival. People give each other best wishes and gifts. This is also a time for the younger generation to bow or kowtow to the elders for health, good fortune, work, and so on and to get a red package in return.

 

对很多人来说，过年收红包才是重头戏啊……以往大家喜闻乐见、放在红色“信封”里的压岁钱，现在慢慢都演变成微信发红包了。当然咯，相信不少家庭还延续着给现金红包的传统，谁让在中国红色象征着红红火火、生活幸福呢~ 大家都想图个喜庆和吉利~

 

For many young people, Chinese New Year is just as much about yasuiqian — money in red envelopes traditionally given to children. On the Chinese mainland, kids get red envelopes at home from their parents and relatives. In Hong Kong, it is also customary to give Lai See (利是), a gift of money, to anyone in your personal service, such as nannies and cleaners.

 

说起过年期间的禁忌，除了嘴上不能说不吉利的字眼儿（比如病啊死啊的），估计不少小伙伴首先想到的就是不能理发吧~ （所以年前的理发店都是个个儿爆满啊……）按照习俗，整个正月都忌讳剃头，得熬到二月初二“龙抬头”才行。而原因就奇葩了，剃头的话会“死舅舅”。其实，这个习俗据说源于清朝。满清入关后要求所有男子剃掉前额的头发，在脑后扎一条辫子。当时许多人把遵从传统习惯和怀念明朝的情感结合起来，约定每到正月里大家都不剃头，并将这个行动定名为“思旧”，意思是“思念过去的历史”。但随着时间的流逝，口耳相传，以讹传讹，“思旧”的谐音附会成了“死舅”，于是有了流传至今的民俗。

 

People usually get a haircut before Chinese New Year's eve because it is said that getting one's hair cut in the first lunar month puts a curse on one's maternal uncles.

 

另外，打破碗碟也是忌讳。如果不小心摔碎了，在场的人必须以迅雷不及掩耳盗铃之势，说上两句吉祥的顺口溜，如“岁（碎）岁平安”“打发（大发，发财之意）”等来弥补。

（文字选自公众号“21世纪英文报”）