Travel China Guide: Happy Chinese New Year 2009

The Chinese New Year is usually celebrated in January/February with visits to friends and family, the wearing of new clothes, and the offering of food. Lots of food, Firecrackers can be heard in Chinese communities and lion dances are performed in the streets. The day will be determined by the Chinese calendar or also called the Chinese Lunar calendar. And for the Year of the Ox, the Chinese Lunar Year Festival would start from 26th of January.

The celebration festival for this one moment in a year will be last as long as fifteen days especially in mainland China. The whole nation feels united as they can imagine each other's enjoyment. As everyone is aware of its significance, working people in the country can take weeks of holidays so that they can accompany with their near and dear ones or a feast with their family members during those times. Therefore, tourists would be required to arrange everything beforehand if planning to travel to China during the Chinese New Year because most of travel agency companies will be closed and there will be full of local tourists in all over places.

Moreover, while not always an official holiday, Chinese New Year is widely celebrated among Chinese communities and particularly across Asian countries with dense Chinese populations. Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand are buzzing with activity during this time and visitors can enjoy the many lion dances, street parades, firecracker explosions and - of course - abundance of food available in each country's respective Chinatown. Although with the changing times and increasing mobility of the people the celebration of Chinese New Year Festival has undergone some changes, everybody still very fervently follow all the customs that their elders have taught them.