They entertain and offer relief and give the opportunity to renew and recreate. From early childhood, the yearly celebrations play an important role in the life of every Chinese. They are a time of family reunions and a oneness with heaven. It marks the first day of the Chinese lunar year. Legend says that an old man told the people that the great beast Nian, who swallowed people in one bite, could be scared away by the color red.
Popular themes are happiness, wealth, longevity, and satisfactory marriage with children.
The day before Spring Festival, all members of the family come together to share a sumptuous meal and to stay up through the night to welcome the new year. The next day the family pays veneration to its ancestors and to the gods. Young children receive presents of cash wrapped in red paper and the family goes door to door greeting relatives and neighbors. The visiting and gift giving continues for several days. The New Year's festivities end on the fifteenth day with the Lantern Festival.