Chinese New Year, also known as Lunar New Year or Spring Festival, falls on January 31st and is celebrated in China and other Asian countries. Traditions include cleaning houses, getting new clothes, eating foods like mandarin oranges that symbolize good luck, giving red envelopes with money, watching parades with dancers and dragons, and spending time with family. The new year is ushered in based on the Chinese zodiac sign of the year, such as the Rat, Ox, Tiger, and others.

1. Chinese New Year

2. Where is China?

3. Chinese New Year
• Friday, January 31
• “Lunar New Year,” or the “Spring Festival”
– (春節 in Chinese).
• Besides China, it is celebrated in Hong
Kong, Indonesia, Tibet, Macau, Malaysia, Phili
ppines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, and
Vietnam

4. Each Chinese year has an animal symbol.
It is said that a person is like the animal that represents the
year they were born .

5. Which year were you born in?

6. This year…

7. New Year Traditions
• The Chinese believe that as
they enter a new year, they
should put behind them all
things of the past.
– They clean their house
– Get new clothes
– Get haircuts

8. Colors
• Red and Gold are very important colors to the
Chinese New Year
• Red: means power and happiness
• Gold: means health and good fortune

9. Gifts!
• Many people
exchange gifts
during the Chinese
New Year
• A popular gift is
small red envelopes
filled with money.
This money is
supposed to be good
luck.

10. The dragon
The dragon is another popular symbol for Chinese New Year.
It means strength, goodness, and good luck.

11. Parade
• Every year there is a parade and a few special
dances.
• This is the dance from Chinese New Year in
Singapore.
– http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yQKmjp_o-Es

12. Food!
Mandarin Oranges symbolize good luck

13. Food!
A whole fish represents “bounty”, or having enough food in the New Year

14. Food!
“Tray of Prosperity”
candied melon (growth
and good health),
red melon seeds
(joy, happiness, truth)
lychee nuts (close
family ties)
kumquats (wealth)
coconut (togetherness)
peanuts (long life)
lotus seeds (many
children)

15. • Here are some photos that Ms. L took last
year during the Chinese New Year Parade in
New York City
• If you want to see the parade this year, it is
this Sunday, February 2.

16. Dragons

17. Dragons

18. Dragons

19. Dragons

20. Even MORE dragons

21. People from the community

22. Chinese-American Council

23. Musicians

25. Chinese Art and Calligraphy Club

26. Calligraphy

27. Calligraphy

28. New Year’s Around the World
• http://www.brainpop.com/socialstudies/cultu
re/newyears/

29. The End!