M any Chinese households will celebrate the birth of a new year with great happiness. That day, Chinese people around the world will start to celebrate the Chinese New Year, an event that lasts 15 days. It signifies a new beginning. It is a little bit similar to the Malaysian holiday spirit at the end of the year, around Christmas and New Year's time. Chinese families dedicate enormous amounts of time and energy to observing the holiday.
Celebrations center around the theme of increased luck and prosperity for the coming year.
One New Year's custom in China is a variation of spring cleaning. The floors throughout the house are swept and furniture is cleaned. Sweeping the dust out symbolizes getting rid of bad luck so that good luck and prosperity is allowed to enter the home, said Taek Jho. Another tradition is remembering and praying to the deceased members of the family. In the ceremony, an altarlike structure holding bowls of fruit, nuts and sweets is constructed.