Chinese New Year is a festival which is mainly celebrated by the Chinese community all over the world. In Malaysia since it is a multiracial country the festive of joy and prosperity will be celebrated among all the races that are the Chinese, Malay’s, Indians, and others. The origin of this festival refers as the spring festival. Each and every year there will be a particular animal among twelve of them will represents the whole year. The animals are rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, ram, monkey, rooster, dog and pig. As for this year 2011 the animal which represents the year is the rabbit. It is believed by the Chinese community that the rabbit year will be in a sharp contrast year of the tiger year which represents 2010. Besides that, it is a year of placidity and respite where little will be set in stone and also carefree happy year that will be both temperate and relaxed.
As for my experience of celebrating Chinese New Year, it’s a wonderful festive with lots of joy and happiness. Few weeks before the festive starts the Chinese community in my town would start the preparation. They will hang the lanterns which is different in shapes but in a single colour that’s red. The red lanterns symbolizes as the brightness, happiness and reunion. Besides that, there will be also small sticks with different colour papers throughout the streets as a welcoming of the special day. In the night markets there will be lot stuff’s regarding the festive which will be celebrated in a short period of time, among them are the attire for the special day, the “ang pau” packets, the traditional foods, the lanterns and etc.
On the eve of the Chinese New Year all the family member will get together in their parents house to celebrate the wonderful festive together. They will spent the New Year Eve by bidding farewell to the old year and also thanking one's ancestors and the gods for their blessing and protection towards their family and friends. Children who have left their hometowns return on this special day to share the New Year Eve Dinner with their family and friends, and for those unable to make the journey, a table setting is placed to symbolize their presence in spirit if not in body. At the end of dinner, the parents and older generation give money "Ang Pao" to the unmarried children and grandchildren, who have been waiting with growing anticipation for this moment to arrive.
On the New Year's Day, Chinese believes that their life is renewed and the new year begins to unfold amidst the noise of firecrackers. The Chinese begin the day by worshiping their ancestors, followed by visiting friends and relatives and with the lively display of dragon dance, lion dance and other activities. These festive of joy continuous until the fifteenth day and ends with a prayer.
