Long ago, there was a scary beast named Nien. On the night when the new year began, Nien would come out of the darkness to cause trouble. He scared people and animals and even destroyed their homes! It was a big problem because no one knew how to stop him.
But then, people discovered something amazing! Nien was afraid of loud noises, fire, and the color red. So, before New Year’s Day, people started putting up red decorations with good wishes on their houses. They also lit firecrackers and hung bright lanterns to keep Nien away. This story is a legend about how Chinese New Year began!
Chinese New Year, also called Lunar New Year, is a special festival celebrated by Chinese people all over the world. It happens on the first day of the lunar calendar, which is usually in January or February. This festival is very important because people believe that starting the year well will bring them good luck and happiness.
Just like other celebrations, Chinese New Year has its own special traditions. One of the most important things is the color red. Red stands for good luck and joy, so you will see lots of red decorations everywhere, like lanterns and couplets with wishes for the new year.
One exciting tradition is giving red envelopes. These envelopes have money inside and are given to children by adults who are married. It’s a way to wish them a peaceful and happy new year.
Firecrackers are set off to say goodbye to the old year and welcome the new one. They make loud noises that help scare away any bad luck!
Chinese New Year is a time for families to be together. People travel from far away to celebrate with their loved ones. On Chinese New Year’s Eve, families gather around a big table for a special dinner. They eat foods like dumplings, mandarins, and rice balls, which are believed to bring good luck.
During Chinese New Year, people say “Xin Nian Kuai Le,” which means “Happy New Year! May all your wishes come true.” It’s a time for everyone to celebrate in their own way and enjoy the traditions that make this festival so special.
Create Your Own Red Decorations: Gather some red paper, scissors, and markers. Create your own red decorations like lanterns or couplets with good wishes for the new year. Think about what you would like to wish for yourself and your family. Hang them up in your room or around your house to bring good luck and joy, just like during Chinese New Year!
Family Tradition Interview: Ask your family members about any special traditions they have for celebrating the new year or any other holiday. How do these traditions make them feel? Share what you learned with your class and see if there are any similarities with Chinese New Year traditions.
Sound Exploration: Since loud noises are used to scare away Nien, explore different sounds around your home or school. Try clapping, tapping on different surfaces, or using musical instruments. Discuss which sounds are the loudest and why you think they might be effective in scaring away a mythical beast like Nien.
Sure! Here’s a sanitized version of the transcript:
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[Music] Long ago, on a fateful night just as the new year began, a mythical beast called Nien emerged from the darkness and onto the land. Nien began hunting people and animals and destroying their homes. It was utter chaos; people had no idea how to protect themselves from the beast. Eventually, they discovered that Nien was afraid of loud noises, fire, and the color red.
From then on, before New Year’s Day, people would post red couplets containing blessings and wishes for the new year on the front of their houses. They would also light loud and bright firecrackers and hang lanterns to scare the beast away, just in case he was still around. Did you know that this story tells us the legend of how Chinese New Year began?
Chinese New Year, also known as Lunar New Year, is a festival celebrated every year by Chinese communities worldwide, from Hong Kong to London, Sydney to San Francisco. It is a very important festival for Chinese people because they believe that a good start to the year will lead to a lucky and prosperous year. Chinese New Year starts on the very first day of the lunar calendar, which usually falls in January or February.
Like many celebrations around the world and in different cultures, there are special traditions observed during Chinese New Year. One of the most obvious traditions is the use of the color red, as it represents good fortune and happiness. That is why you’ll see lots of red decorations, such as lanterns and couplets, hanging around streets, buildings, and homes.
One of the exciting parts of Chinese New Year is the red envelopes. These envelopes contain money and are given to children by married adults, blessing them with a peaceful new year. Firecrackers are also set off to bid farewell to the old year and welcome in a better new year.
Chinese New Year is an important time for families to be together. People come home from all around the world to celebrate the festival with their families. On Chinese New Year’s Eve, families sit together at round tables for a reunion dinner and enjoy a feast. Some foods are especially popular at this time because their names or appearances carry positive symbolic meanings. These foods include dumplings, mandarins, and rice balls.
During Chinese New Year, you can say “Xin Nian Kuai Le,” which means “Happy New Year! May all your wishes be fulfilled.” Everyone celebrates special days in their own way; different people have different traditions that they enjoy during their festivals, and these are just some of the common ones seen during Chinese New Year.
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