过春节 celebrate the spring festival春联 spring festival couplets剪纸 paper-cuts年画 new year paintings买年货 do shopping for the spring festival;do spring festival shopping敬酒 propose a toast灯笼 lantern烟花 fireworks爆竹 firecrackers (people scare off evil spirits and ghosts with the loud pop.)红包 red packets (cash wrapped up in red paper,symbolize fortune and wealth in the coming year.)舞狮 lion dance (the lion is believed to be able to dispel evil and bring good luck.)舞龙 dragon dance (to expect good weather and good harvests)戏曲 traditional opera杂耍 variety show灯谜 riddles written on lanterns灯会 exhibit of lanterns守岁 staying-up拜年 pay new year's call;give new year's greetings;pay new year's visit禁忌 taboo去晦气 get rid of the ill- fortune祭祖宗 offer sacrifices to one's ancestors压岁钱 gift money;money given to children as a lunar new year gift culture note;in the old days, new year's money was given in the form of one hundred copper coins strung together on a red string and symbolized the hope that one would live to be a hundred years old. today,money is placed inside red envelopes in denominations considered auspicious and given to represent luck and wealth辞旧岁 bid farewell to the old year扫房 spring cleaning; general house-cleaning年糕nian-gao; rise cake; new year cake团圆饭 family reunion dinner年夜饭 the dinner on new year's eve饺子jiao-zi/dumpling; chinese meat ravioli粽子rice dumpling