一、ChineseNewYear

　　IliketheChinesenewyearbetterthananyotherfestival.Thisisatimeespeciallyforrestandjoy.Ineednotstudy.Iweargoodclothesandeatgoodfood.Ihaveagoodtimefrommorningtillnight.Tobefrankwithyou,Iamashappyasaking.TheChinesenewyearlastsaslongasfifteendays.Itgivesusmorepleasurethanwehaveimagined.Afterthatwehavetoresumeournormalwork.

　　二、ChineseNewYear

　　ChineseNewYearstartswiththeNewMoononthefirstdayofthenewyearandendsonthefullmoon15dayslater.The15thdayofthenewyeariscalledtheLanternFestival,whichiscelebratedatnightwithlanterndisplaysandchildrencarryinglanternsinaparade.

　　TheChinesecalendarisbasedonacombinationoflunarandsolarmovements.Thelunarcycleisabout29.5days.Inorderto"catchup"withthesolarcalendartheChineseinsertanextramonthonceeveryfewyears(sevenyearsoutofa19-yearcycle).Thisisthesameasaddinganextradayonleapyear.Thisiswhy,accordingtothesolarcalendar,theChineseNewYearfallsonadifferentdateeachyear.

　　NewYear'sEveandNewYear'sDayarecelebratedasafamilyaffair,atimeofreunionandthanksgiving.ThecelebrationwastraditionallyhighlightedwithareligiousceremonygiveninhonorofHeavenandEarth,thegodsofthehouseholdandthefamilyancestors.

　　Thesacrificetotheancestors,themostvitalofalltherituals,unitedthelivingmemberswiththosewhohadpassedaway.Departedrelativesarerememberedwithgreatrespectbecausetheywereresponsibleforlayingthefoundationsforthefortuneandgloryofthefamily.

　　ThepresenceoftheancestorsisacknowledgedonNewYear'sEvewithadinnerarrangedforthematthefamilybanquettable.Thespiritsoftheancestors,togetherwiththeliving,celebratetheonsetoftheNewYearasonegreatcommunity.Thecommunalfeastcalled"surroundingthestove"orweilu.Itsymbolizesfamilyunityandhonorsthepastandpresentgenerations.

　　三、ChineseNewYear

　　ChineseNewYearisthelongestandmostimportantcelebrationintheChinesecalendar.Chinesemonthsarereckonedbythelunarcalendar,witheachmonthbeginningonthedarkestday.NewYearfestivitiestraditionallystartonthefirstdayofthemonthandcontinueuntilthefifteenth,whenthemoonisbrightest.InChina,peoplemaytakeweeksofholidayfromworktoprepareforandcelebratetheNewYear.