The Chinese New Year is a huge traditional holiday in China. It is also called “the Spring Festival”. The most important event that takes place throughout the year in this country going to be celebrated on the 28th of January in 2017. The celebration is actually going to last longer, with an early start and a later finish. Starting with the eve of the Chinese New Year, until the 2nd of February, all of China will be caught up in the festivities and amazing events. There are also some notable events after this date too.

Here are some of the most interesting facts about the Chinese New Year and a few suggestions for what you can see or do if you decide to visit China during this event:

1. Starting with the New Year’s Eve, the people living in China put up specific decorations to welcome the new year. Traditionally, houses are decorated with red lanterns, red couplets, New Year painting and others. Also, since this new year is going to be a year of the Rooster, some decorations will be related to this. A New Year’s Eve Feast is also a tradition that the majority of the Chinese families still keep.
2. New Year’s Eve is also a time where children receive red envelopes with money, as a symbol of good luck and as a way of wishing them health, growth and good studies in the upcoming year.
3. Firecrackers and fireworks are also an important part of celebrating the New Year. As the clock strikes 12, the sky is lit and there’s going to be a lot of noise. The atmosphere is amazing and so the Chinese New Year will finally be there. There is the world’s biggest annual fireworks usage. Fireworks are actually used to scare evil spirits.
4. On New Year’s day, some of the most fascinating Chinese traditions are the lion and dragon dances.
5. From the second day of the New Year until the 7th, most people will visit their relatives and friends, as well as the tombs of their clan or relatives.
6. Some people avoid going out on the 3rd day, as it is believed that evil spirits roam around.
7. Eight is the luckiest number in China, so on the 8th day of the New Year, most people go back to work.
8. The 15th day of the New Year is the date of the Lantern Festival. It is also the traditional end of the Spring Festival celebrations. You can light up a lantern and send it aloft into the sky or let them float on the sea, on a river or on a lake.
9. You can enjoy the Chinese New Year festivities in China, with Beijing as the busiest and most entertaining place, or you can actually choose from many other destinations. Festivities take place in London – Trafalgar Square, Chinatown and across the West End (29th of January); Manchester – the shopping streets of the city centre and St. Ann’s Square (26th to 29th of January); Singapore – River Hongbao (26th of January – 4th of February); Sydney, Australia – Chinatown, Cockle Bay (27th of January – 12th of February); New York City – Manhattan, Queens, Chinatown (28th of January). Many other cities have amazing celebrations planned for this occasion, so you can go pretty much anywhere and celebrate.

If you are fascinated by this event and the Chinese traditions, plan a trip in one of the destinations mentioned or another of your choice to enjoy the festivities up close. Check out the available flights to your destination and the complete list of hotels in China or any other country on TripEconomy and go celebrate! 鸡年吉祥 (Good luck for this Rooster year!)