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
　　Customs：
　　过年　Guo-nian; have the Spring Festival
　　对联　poetic¹ 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 Festival shopping
　　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 loud pop.）
　　红包　red packets （cash wrapped up in red paper, symbolize² fortune and wealth in the coming year.）
　　舞狮　lion dance （The lion is believed to be able to dispel³ evil and bring good luck.）
　　舞龙　dragon dance （to expect good weather and good harvests）
　　戏曲　traditional opera
　　杂耍　variety show; vaudeville⁴
　　灯谜　riddles⁵ 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　taboo⁶
　　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 of one hundred copper⁷ coins strung together on a red string and symbolized⁸ the hope that one would live to be a hundred years old. Today, money is placed inside red envelopes in denominations⁹ considered auspicious¹⁰ and given to represent luck and wealth
　　辞旧岁　bid farewell to the old year
　　扫房　spring cleaning; general house-cleaning
　　Blessings¹¹:
　　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
　　国泰平安　The Country Flourishes And People Live In Peace
　　招财进宝　Money And Treasures Will He Plentiful¹²
　　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
　　祝你新的一年快乐幸福　Wish you happiness and prosperity in the coming year！
　　事业成功，家庭美满　Wish you success in your career and happiness of your family！
　　Food names:
　　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 stuffed with either sweet or spicy fillings
　　八宝饭　eight treasures rice pudding
　　糖果盘　candy tray
　　什锦糖　assorted candies-sweet and fortune
　　蜜冬瓜　candied winter melon - growth and good health
　　西瓜子　red melon seed - joy, happiness, truth and sincerity
　　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

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