ReminiscentoftheSpringFestivalinmyhometown,itisreallythreedaysandthreenights.
Peopleonthestreetinahurrytodepart,largebagstocarryhome,vendorsputupredcoupletsandcharacter......Thefootstepsof"year"areringingagain.
Ontheeveofthenewyear,manypeoplewereverybusy.ManypeoplehavetogotoworkinthefieldwithlargebagsofspecialpurchasesfortheSpringFestivaltogohome.
Inthenortheastofourhometown,wemusteatdumplingsontheeveofthethirtyyearofthenewyear,andwemusteatdumplings.Manydumplingsarepackedwithcoins.(nowpeoplepayattentiontohygiene,insteadofpeanutsorothernuts).Whoeatssuchdumplingsisasignofgoodluckandauspiciousmeaninginthenewyear.Bigyearthirtymainpointslongevitylamp,allnightclear.Onthethirty-oneuntilthefifteenLanternFestival,everyhouseholdshouldhangredlanterns,atnighttolightthelanterns,butalsopointsanight,nottoturnoffthelights,meanslongevity,incenseconstantly.
Iwasawakenedbythesoundoffirecrackersintheearlymorningofthefirstday.Fourfirecrackers,fireworksintothesky,everyone'slaughteraddstotheatmosphereofChineseNewYear.Thisisadesertedstreetbecomelively,thetraditionalSpringFestivalthisyearafteryear,generationtogenerationofpeople,allthelightsintheresidentialareaeveryfamilyputupSpringFestivalcouplets,invitedthedoorgodandtheGodofwealthtothewholefamilyhappinesswell,italsoplacedthehopeforthenewyear.Weareinthenortheast,theelderlyhavesuchastatement,thetwodayLunarNewYear'sday,thesecondisnotsweeping,goodluckandwealthwillnotsweepaway.Soonlytowaituntilthethirdyearofthefirstthreecanbeswept.
Thefirstmoondoesnotcuthishead.Youcan'tcutyourheadbeforethefirstyearoftheyeartothe1thdayofthesecondmonthoftheChineselunarcalendar.Ifyoucutmyuncle'suncle,noonewillcuthisheadinthefirstmonth."Februarytwo,thedragonheadup"thismeansthatthefirsttwoofFebruary,peoplecuttheirheadswillbeverylucky,soonthisdayalotofpeoplewillbecompetingtocuttheirheads,todiscussGeely.
Ialwayslookforwardtothenewyear,becauseIcanwearnewclothes,collectmoney,setofffirecrackersandsoonatthattime.Inaword,Iwanttolookforwardtotheyear.Ireallywanttobesogoodeveryday!
Today,itisaspecialday.ThisisbecausetodayistheSpringFestival-thefirstdayofthefirstmonth,thatis,the"newyear"weusuallysay.
Inthemorning,momandgrandma'scatchupinthekitchen;thefatherandgrandfatherwerenotidle,dadatthedoorlabeledredantitheticalcouplet,grandpaisintheroomwithalltheNewYearpaintings;whilemybrotherandI?WhilewatchingTVinthelivingroom,andchewingsweetsfromtimetotimeinmymouth,itwasreallyexcellent.Andthebigmenaresobusythattheyaresobusy.
Myfamily's"newyear"isbusyandbusy.
Theeveofthenewyear'sEvecameatlast.Nowthefirsttaskistosetoffthefirecrackers.Afterourrepeateddemands,Dadfinallygavemethepositionof"gunner".Itookoutalighter,litfirecrackershanginginthebranches,inmybrotherandIranawaythemoment-ignited--"ZiziZi"--"crackling",thespringsprout.
"Adinner,thechildren!"Onlythemotherheardavoiceinthelivingroom.Irantothetablewithmybrother."Wow!"Icriedout,"Mom,whyaretheresomechickens,ducks,andfishfortoday'sdishes...Whydon'tyouhaveanyvegetables?"Motherlookedatmeamiableandsaidquietly,"children,todayisthenewyear,thenewyeartoeatmoremeattounderstand?"Inoddedalittlebit.
Thefirstthingtodobeforethedinnerthingsistogettotheelders"".Thefirstbrothersaid:"Iwishgrandpaandgrandmalongevity,happinessasimmenseastheEasternSea."ThenIopenedmymouth:"Iwishmomanddadworkwellandallthebest."Afterthat,Isawmyfatherdidnotrespond,andthenIanswered,"whydoIsaysomanygoodwords,youjustdon'tsendaredbag?"
Suddenly,inthelivingroom,therewasaburstoflaughter.