Have you ever heard of the story of Nian? Nian was a truly horrible monster that would come out and eat people on Chinese New Year night. This monster was afraid of red color and loud noise, so at that time people used red paper to decorate the house, wore red clothes and lit fireworks. This is the origin of Chinese New Year. Chinese New Year is one of the most important holidays for Chinese people. During that time, people stay with their families and celebrate the Chinese New Year. Chinese New Year means to many Chinese, and people celebrate in many traditional ways. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Chinese New Year has very special meanings for Chinese people. First of all, it represents the new beginning of the year. The new beginning means a good start for the rest of the year and brings good luck to people. The most important thing about Chinese New Year is that this is the holiday where people get together with family. In Chinese tradition, reunion is much more important than others. The celebration begins on the eve of Chinese New Year and this is the most important day during the Chinese New Year holiday. According to Nian's story, people on New Year's Eve begin to decorate with red lanterns, paper cutouts glued on the windows, and people wear at least one red dress. Since it is New Year's Eve, people always remove some old furniture and replace it with new one. New Year's Eve dinner is the most important dinner for Chinese people. Normally, this is the family reunion dinner, especially for those who have family members far from home. Fish and dumplings will normally be served during dinner, because these two dishes represent luck and wealth. After dinner, families stay up late until the next day arrives and set off fireworks at midnight. These are all the activities during New Year's Eve. People not only celebrate on New Year's Eve, but also celebrate on other days. There are many other important activities during the festival. Visiting relatives and friends during the day, children always receive "Red Packages" which are given as gifts by the elderly and with money inside. These days are the happiest days for little children. People can go to the traditional market which includes many delicious foods and many different performances, such as lion and dragon dances, traditional rituals. During the festival, people don't have to worry about their jobs and children don't have to write homework. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a custom essay for Chinese New Year is my favorite festival, because I can stay with my parents and receive “Red Packets”. Even though I can't celebrate Chinese New Year now, I know that my parents will always stay with me and miss me. Chinese New Year is the best holiday for Chinese people and means a lot to people. This is the traditional festival that has been going on for decades. Even though these days are the coldest of the year, for every Chinese there are the warmest days. I believe people from different countries have their own festival which is as important to them as Chinese New Year.