The Muslims follow the Hijri calendar. The first month is Muharram , which begins on the sighting of the moon. However, There comes a difference of ten days each year because the moon completes its revolution round the earth in shorter time than the sun.
The Hindus celebrate the seasons and their festivals are connected with seasons of the year like spring, harvest time or the beginning of the rains.
The Christian calendar (Gregorian Calendar) always starts on the 1 of January and s on the 31 of December each year.
Although the Chinese follow the English calendar as do all other people in the world . But according to the old Chinese society only.
Each year is given the name of one of these animals : rat, ox, tiger, hare, dragon, snake , horse, goat, monkey, chicken, dog and tortoise. This cycle is completed in twelve years and then starts again. For example, if 2988 was the dragon year, the next year , that is , 1989 would be snake year and so on.
Each Chinese month starts on the day of the new moon so that the full moon comes on the fifteenth day of the month. There are 29 or 30 days in each lunar month . They also have 12 months in a year and the new year always starts between January, the twenty first , and February, the twentieth.
Before the New year Day, some traditional Chinese families cleanout their houses very carefully . The female family members make many kinds of cakes and other sweet dishes . Everybody buys new clothes for the family feast on the New Year’s Day. The Chinese people believe and hope that the sweet sticky juice cake will keep their kitchens stored with a lot of bread, rice and other food cereals.
The religious Chinese go to the temples to burn incense and other fragrant sticks and make offerings to their gods . Inside the house , bright red banners are stuck on the walls , saying, “May the whole family live in peace!” and also, “ May the rice jars be filled to the top with rice!”
Red is a favorite color with Chinese . They believe that red color is for life , strength and valour.
On the New Year’s Eve , there is a big family dinner. All the family members are invited to this dinner and are supposed to be present there for the great meal. Even if they have to travel many miles to reach the home of their parents, the Chinese do gather to have the meal with their older generation.
Old quarrels and petty disputes are forgotten . Everybody tries to be the first one to forget quarrels and welcome the members of the opponent family .Soon, all the differences are forgotten . The Chinese believe that all debts must be paid the last day of the year. After the dinner, the children keep awake to welcome `the New Year. Some people think that the parents will live longer if their children keep awake to greet the New Year. The lights switched on the New Year’s Eve remain on for three to four days as a good oman. The Young men throw dried carrots into the river and pray that they find a good wife .The full moon shines on the land of Chinese where the celebrations come to an end at midnight.
Tags
Education