Spring Festival (Chinese New Year)

This year I was able to be in China for the Chinese New Year. It's the biggest event of the year for Chinese people. It comes on the Lunar Calender (we use the Solar one) so it changes each year. (Yeah, I didn't know there was 2 calenders either.) This year it was on Jan 22 (Our calender). Rather than me talking a lot, I'm just going to walk you through the day via pictures with quick captions.

Two days before Spring Festival hits you have to go and make sure you have your fireworks. Yes, fireworks are a big deal - a BIG deal as you can see.

We also had to get other supplies for his mom to prepare to cook. As we passed a cart I saw what looked like hoofs of an animal. After being confused it made more sense when I looked next to the cart. This donkey is fresh and there's no question about it that you're getting donkey meat. Mmmm.

The day before it's decoration time. Everything red, which is lucky, goes up. They hang up different says of good luck and fortune up over the door, on the door panels, over doorways, on the door to the garage (where their farming equipment is kept). (Funny thing: the glue they use is made out of a mixture of peanut shells.) (They also burn peanut shells to heat the radiators twice a day. - Their whole village harvests and runs off of peanuts and everything you can get out of them.)

Happy Spring Festival Day!
It's 5:30 am and the neighbors are already setting off fireworks!
Unfortunately, I was up at 2:34 am and in the bathroom with something not sitting right.
I am ready for the New Year though as I have my new red socks on. This is the year of the dragon so the red socks have dragon on them.

8:00 am. Unfortunately, my stomach wasn't very good and I missed out on breakfast and ended up taking a nap instead. When I woke up this is what I saw...

11:00 am. Grammar was in the kitchen helping his mom cook the big lunchtime meal. His specialty (and first time attempt) Coca-Cola chicken wings. Not too shabby.

12:30 pm. His mom on the other hand cooked the other 13 dishes. 14 Dishes for 4 people. My stomach was still no good. I sat down at the table and his mom thought I didnt' like her food because I wasn't eating. A trip to the bathroom gave me time to think of my Chinese. "Sorry. All food look good, but my stomach no good. " I laid down and within two minutes was puking. It actually made me feel better so his mom knew it wasn't her cooking. (Although I missed out on this meal, we had the same food for breakfast, lunch, and supper for the next 4 days until I left.)

2:30 pm. After another nap, I woke up to Grammar and a few of his high school classmates playing MaJiang, a famous Chinese game. Imagine mixing dominoes with rummy and poker. I felt a little better so about 3-4 we went to a nearby friends house to hang out and play some cards. I just sat and watched.

5:00pm. We sat down as a family and made dumplings together. An annual tradition they do each year.


8:00pm The Spring Festival Gala comes on TV
(which apparently everyone in China watches).
Below is the link to the opening performance (it's on Chinese Youtube - so it'll be in Chinese but it will still play fine.) Pretty Interesting.

Opening Ceremony of the Spring Festival Gala

Another performance from the Gala.
Great Wall Comes to Life

9:15pm I wake up from my impromptu nap while watching the show and join in the family face washing. Each year they wash their face so that they can "face the year year with a clean start." I thought that was pretty cool.

10:00pm It's time to go outside and set of our own fireworks. They've been going off all day, but 10-11pm is the time everyone in the village will do it together.

10:20pm. As the fireworks of the neighbors continue, Grammar's Dad puts a bundle of fake money on the fire to burn to give to their ancestors in the after life. I asked if they really believe that. Grammar's response was uncertain. "It's kind of just a tradition that we do. I don't think everyone really believes it...but yet, everyone's kind of afraid not to do it just in case."


11:00pm. We go back inside and eat the dumplings we made earlier in the night. At this point in the day I have thrown up twice and been in the bathroom too many times to count. Thanks to the Father and pr I was able to drink a whole bottle of water and eat an apple.


12:10am. I officially made it through the day - which I found out was Spring Festival Eve. Spring Festival was really the next day, but they always celebrate the Eve. I crawled into the bed they gave me dehydrated, exhausted, and cold but very very thankful that I was able to see what I have seen.

The next day we went to visit relatives nearby and my stomach and insides were doing much better. The red layer of left over firecrackers covered sidewalks and streets and danced as the wind blew through. For the next few days everything in down would be shut down and many people would have a nice red film beneath their feet.

Happy Spring Festival!