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Chinese New Year Celebrations (2021): Day-by-Day Guide

Austin Tang — Thu, 11 Feb 2021 15:44:34 +0000

Chinese New Year is celebrated for sixteen days (from Chinese New Year’s Eve to the Lantern Festival). The preparations start seven days before Chinese New Year’s Eve. Many celebration activities for this period are traditional customs, but some are quite new…

Here is a daily guide to tell you how Chinese people celebrate Chinese New Year in 2021.

Pre-Chinese New Year Preparations (Jan. 20–Feb. 10, 2021)
Jan. 20, 2021: Laba Festival
Some Chinese start to celebrate and prepare for New Year as early as day 8 of the 12th month of the lunar calendar. This is a festival called Laba ( 腊八 Làbā /laa-baa/ ’12th lunar month’ + ‘8’). In 2021, it corresponds to January 20.

Feb. 4, 2021: House-Cleaning

Beginning on the 23rd day of the 12th lunar month Chinese people carry out a thorough ‘winter-cleaning’ of their houses.

This is called “sweeping away the dust”, and represents a wish to put away old things, bid farewell to the old year, and welcome in the New Year.

Feb. 4–10, 2021: New Year Shopping
Before Chinese New Year’s Eve, people buy New Year’s food and snacks, New Year’s decorations, and New Year’s clothes. Chinese New Year in China, like Christmas, is a boom time for shopping.

Chinese New Year market
Chinese people may be thrifty most of the time, but they seem to spend generously during their traditional festivals.

For example, they buy everyone new clothes for the festival, whether they need them or not. On the days leading up to the festival, there are many New Year’s street markets.

Chinese New Year’s Eve (Feb. 11, 2021): 7 Activities and Celebrations
1. Putting Up New Year Decorations

Putting up spring couplets
Although some people decorate their houses several days before the festival, most people do it on New Year’s Eve. Houses are decorated with red lanterns, red couplets, paper Cutouts, and New Year’s paintings.

Putting up those decorations are thought to keep evil away and pray for blessing, longevity, health, and peace. 2021 is the Year of the Ox, so ox images will appear on decorations.

Read more about the Top 7 Chinese New Year Decorations.

2. Offering Sacrifices to Ancestors
Offering sacrifices to ancestors shows respect and piety. In addition, ancestral spirits are believed to protect their descendants and help them become prosperous.

Many worships on New Year’s Eve, before the reunion dinner, to show that they are letting their ancestors “eat” first. Offerings of meat, wine, joss sticks, and joss paper are placed in front of the shrine/grave.

3. Enjoying a Reunion Dinner

The New Year’s Eve Feast is a “must-do” dinner with all family members reuniting. Chinese try very hard to make this family event, often traveling long distances. This is the main reason for the huge travel stress throughout China.

Big families including several generations sit at round tables and enjoy the food and time together.

Dishes with lucky meanings must be included in the dinner such as fish, dumplings, niangao (sticky rice cake), and spring rolls. Many New Year foods are symbolic.

4. Watching CCTV’s New Year Gala
It’s become customary for many families to watch the CCTV New Year Gala while having their dinner. The Gala starts at 8 pm and ends when the Chinese New Year arrives at midnight.

It features traditional, folk, and pop performances from China’s best singers, dancers, and acrobats.

5. Giving Red Envelopes (Lucky Money) to Kids

Parents usually give their children red envelopes after the reunion dinner, wishing them health, growth, and good studies in the coming year.

Money in red envelopes is believed to bring good luck, as red is China’s lucky color, so it’s called lucky money.

6. Staying Up Late
This custom is called shousui (守岁/show-sway/‘to keep watch over the year’). In the past, Chinese people used to stay up all night, but now most stay up only until the midnight firecrackers and fireworks die down.

7. Listening to a New Year Bell
A bell is a traditional symbol of Chinese New Year, and Chinese people believe that ringing a large bell can drive away bad luck and bring good fortune.

At midnight on New Year’s Eve some people like to go to large squares or temples where huge bells are rung. In recent years people have begun to go to mountain temples to wait for the first ringing of a bell in the New Year.

Chinese New Year’s Day (Feb. 12, 2021)
Chinese people believe that what they do on the first day of the lunar year will affect their luck during that year.

1. Setting Off Firecrackers and Fireworks

The moment New Year arrives there is a cacophony of fireworks and firecrackers all around, even in rural China. Families stay up for this joyful moment.

In many rural areas, it’s customary to set off firecrackers before dinner, each day from New Year’s Eve to day 3 of CNY. See Why Chinese New Year Must Have Firecrackers.

It’s believed that the louder the firecrackers, the better and luckier it will be for business and farming in the coming year.

Kids, with (mini) firecrackers in one hand and a lighter in another, cheerfully celebrate by throwing the small explosives one-by-one on the street whilst plugging their ears.

2. Putting on New Clothes and Extending New Year Greetings

On the first day of New Year, Chinese people put on new clothes, and say “gongxi” (恭喜/gong-sshee/literally ‘respectful joy’, meaning ‘greetings’ or ‘best wishes’), wishing each other good luck and happiness in the New Year.

It is customary for the younger generation to visit their elders, and wish them health and longevity. See Top 10 Popular Chinese New Year Greetings and Sayings.

In recent years, a new way to do New Year greetings has appeared, especially among the young. People who are too busy to visit their friends or relatives send a New Year’s card, a WeChat red envelope, or a text message instead.

3. Watching Lion and Dragon Dances

Chinese New Year dragon dances
Lion dances and dragon dances are also seen on New Year’s Day. Once very popular in China, they are reappearing in many places. They are more popular in Hong Kong and Macau.

4. Public Celebrations at Parks and Temple Fairs
Beijing’s temple fairs are the places to go for traditional activities in Beijing. Such activities are held in parks from the first day of the lunar year to the last (when celebrating the Lantern Festival).

Generally, parks and temples are the best places to go for festive celebrations at Chinese New Year.

New Year: Day 2 (Feb. 13, 2021)
Traditionally married daughters visit their parents’ home on the second day of Chinese New Year. They bring gifts and red envelopes to families and relatives.

On this day, people offer sacrifices to the God of Wealth, wishing for a luckier and more prosperous year.

New Year: Days 3–7 (Feb. 14–18, 2021)

Chinese people visit relatives and friends from the 3rd day to the 7th day.
From the third to the seventh day of New Year, Chinese people visit relatives and friends.

On the third day, some people go to visit the tombs of their relatives, but others think being outside there on the third day is inauspicious, because evil spirits roam around.

The first house-sweep of the New Year: Chinese people don’t clean their homes during the first two days of New Year, as sweeping then is believed to sweep away the good luck accrued by the litter of firecrackers, red paper, wrappers, and other evidence of celebration on the floor.

New Year: Day 8 (Feb. 19, 2021)
People normally return to work on the eighth day. As eight is the luckiest number in China, most businesses like to reopen on day 8 of the New Year.

New Year: Day 15 (Feb. 26, 2021), the Lantern Festival

Lantern Festival
The fifteenth day of the New Year is the Lantern Festival (元宵节 Yuánxiāo Jié /ywen-sshyaou jyeah/). It is the traditional end of Spring Festival celebrations.

Some people send glowing lanterns into the sky, while others release floating lanterns onto the sea, onto rivers, or adrift in lakes.

Regional Variations in New Year Celebrations in China
Traditions and celebrations vary greatly across China. In the north, Chinese dumplings are the must-eat food on Chinese New Year’s Eve, but south of the Yangtze River most people eat spring rolls or sticky rice cake. For more on this, read How Chinese New Year Is Celebrated in Northern and Southern China.

Chinese New Year Celebrations around the World
Chinese New Year is not only celebrated in China, but also in several other East Asian countries (among non-Chinese Asians it’s known ‘Spring Festival’) as well as Chinatowns in Western countries.

For the numbers of people celebrating around the world see Chinese New Year Facts.

You can experience Chinese New Year celebrations in Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York, London, Paris, etc. You can walk through their Chinatowns and see the restaurants and shopfronts adorned in red and gold, and experience firecrackers, colorful parades, and dragon dances.
for more info, go to https://www.chinahighlights.com/travelguide/festivals/chinese-new-year-celebration.htm#:~:text=Chinese%20New%20Year%20is%20celebrated,some%20are%20quite%20new

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WHAT CANCER PATIENTS, SURVIVORS, and CAREGIVERS NEED TO KNOW TO REDUCE RISK OF COVID-19- Dr. Lisa C. Richardson, Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Division of Cancer Prevention and Control (DCPC) Dr. Lisa C. Richardson, Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Division of Cancer Prevention and Control (DCPC)

Austin Tang — Mon, 11 May 2020 20:57:09 +0000

http://goodnewsplanet.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/lisa_richardson_1.mp3
CDC Expert Offers Advice
Cancer patients and survivors are among those at higher risk of severe illness from COVID-19 because their immune systems are often weakened by the cancer and its treatments. So, it’s important that people who were recently diagnosed for cancer, currently being treated, or treated in the past take steps to protect their health during this pandemic. This is especially important for cancer patients who are currently being treated with chemotherapy.
Tips for Cancer Patients & Survivors:
• Watch out for fever. Take your temperature any time you feel warm, flushed, chilled, or not well. If you have a temperature of 100.4ºF (38ºC) or higher or notice any of the signs and symptoms of an infection, call your doctor BEFORE going to their office or hospital.
• Know the signs and symptoms of infection. Infection during chemotherapy can lead to hospitalization or even death. Call your doctor right away if you notice any of the signs and symptoms of an infection, such as fever, chills, change in cough or new cough, shortness of breath, sore throat, redness, soreness, or swelling in any area, including surgical wounds and ports, diarrhea, or vomiting
• Clean your hands and ask those around you to do the same. Many diseases are spread by not cleaning your hands, which is especially dangerous when you’re getting chemotherapy treatment. Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after you have been in a public place. If soap and water aren’t available, use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol. Avoid touching your face, eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces and shared objects between use at least daily.
• Cover your mouth and nose with a cloth face cover when around others to protect other people in case you are infected, and ask others to do the same.
• Avoid other people as much as possible (social distancing). Avoid leaving home as much as possible. Maintain a distance of at least 6 feet (2m) between yourself and other people. If you must leave home, avoid places where people are in groups or crowded. Have supplies and food delivered to your home.
• Use CDC’s Coronavirus Self-Checker to help you make decisions about seeking appropriate medical care
It’s very important for people who live with or take care of people with cancer to take steps to keep themselves healthy as well. All of their actions will impact their loved one’s health and well-being.
Tips for Caregivers & Family Members:
• Watch for symptoms of infection: fever of 100.4ºF (38ºC) or higher, cough, or shortness of breath.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds especially after you have been in a public place or after blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing. If soap and water aren’t available, use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol. Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces and shared objects between use at least daily.
• Cover your mouth and nose with a cloth face cover when around others, especially those who are vulnerable such as cancer patients.
• Avoid other people as much as possible (social distancing). Avoid leaving home as much as possible. Maintain a distance of at least 6 feet (2m) between you and other people. If you must leave home, avoid places where people are in groups or crowds. Have supplies and food delivered to your home.
• If you become ill, immediately separate yourself from your family member or friend with cancer. If possible, stay away from their home. If you must remain in the same household, isolate yourself in a separate room if possible, with a separate bathroom. Make arrangements for someone else to care for your family member or friend with cancer.

Dr. Lisa C. Richardson, Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Division of Cancer Prevention and Control (DCPC), discuss what cancer patients and their caregivers need to know to stay well while staying at home during the COVID-19 crisis. Dr. Richardson will outline the proper steps necessary to help lower the chance of spreading an infection to your family member or friend with cancer.

For more information, please visit:
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus
https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/survivors/staying-well-at-home.htm and https://www.preventcancerinfections.org/

When you book a window, we’ll provide guest bio & suggested questions. Interview courtesy: CDC

The post WHAT CANCER PATIENTS, SURVIVORS, and CAREGIVERS NEED TO KNOW TO REDUCE RISK OF COVID-19- Dr. Lisa C. Richardson, Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Division of Cancer Prevention and Control (DCPC) Dr. Lisa C. Richardson, Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Division of Cancer Prevention and Control (DCPC) appeared first on Good News!.

Tanya Lawrence shares how McDonald’s restaurants across the country are thanking these Frontline Heroes…

Austin Tang — Mon, 04 May 2020 20:44:52 +0000

Listen to “Tanya Lawrence shares how McDonald’s restaurants across the country are thanking these Frontline Heroes…” on Spreaker.

Tanya (TAHN-yah) Lawrence, an owner/operator of several McDonald’s restaurants talks about how McDonald’s restaurants across the country are thanking these frontline heroes. www.mcdonalds.com

Here are some suggested questions that you are welcome to use or come up with your own:
With shelter-in-place orders, most of us have been staying home, but many essential businesses and restaurants remain open. McDonald’s is one of those and is expressing its appreciation by offering first responders and healthcare workers free “Thank You Meals” for their work.

Today we’re speaking with Tanya (TAHN-yah) Lawrence, an owner/operator of several McDonald’s restaurants about how McDonald’s restaurants across the country are thanking these frontline heroes. Hi, Tayna!

Station note: This interview is brought to you by McDonald’s

—————- ADDITIONAL INFORMATION —————-

About Tanya Lawrence
McDonald’s Owner/Operator Tanya Lawrence is a next-generation McDonald’s Owner/ Operator based in Chicago, Illinois. With restaurants in the city of Chicago, surrounding suburbs and at O’Hare International Airport, Tanya and her team support the Chicagoland community year round.

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