10 folk customs during the Spring Festival:
1. Sweeping dust in the New Year
Sweeping dust in the New Year means "remove the old and bring out the new", hoping to sweep away all the bad luck. Every household is cleaned, and the windows are clean and spotless.
2. Paste couplets, blessing characters, door gods
On the afternoon of the day before the Spring Festival, people will paste couplets on the door, horizontal batches are pasted on the lintel, and couplets are pasted on the left and right sides of the door. Others paste blessing characters on house doors, walls, and lintels, expressing people's yearning for a happy life. Some people will paste pictures of door gods on the door panels, praying for a safe year and adding to the festive atmosphere.
3. Worshiping ancestors and offering sacrifices to gods
The customs of offering sacrifices to gods across the country are a bit different, but the purpose is basically the same. They are all to pray for good weather, abundant grains, good luck and so on in the coming year.
4. Eat dumplings, glutinous rice balls, rice cakes
Jiaozi, a homonym for dumplings, is the time when the new year and the old year meet. Eating dumplings during the Spring Festival means good luck. Rice ball means reunion round. Nian gao means stepping up.
5. Stay up late or all night on New Year's Eve and giving lucky money
The family is together, some play cards, some watch the Spring Festival Gala, everyone stays up all day long, waiting for the dawn together to welcome the arrival of the new year. Lucky money is a favorite custom of children and younger generations. After the New Year’s Eve dinner, the elders give red envelopes🧧to the younger generation.