Spring Festival in Beijing

The first day of the lunar New Year, January 31^st this year, begins China’s most beloved festival, Chun Jie (春节), or the Spring Festival. Traditionally, this festival reunites families in their home towns, as masses of people return to spend extended time feasting and celebrating with their relatives. In a culture where many still practice ancestor worship, this is also a holiday during which people honor family members who have passed away. The government declares five days of official holiday (though two of those days have to be made up by working on Sundays), schools take month-long vacations, and many small shops and restaurants close down for at least a week to allow the workers to travel home. Red lanterns line the streets, people tape red banners with words like, peace, prosperity, blessing, fortune, and health to their door frames and windows and shoot off fireworks in an effort to bring good luck for the coming year. Foods considered to bring good fortune are eaten on New Year’s Eve and throughout the festival.  

What the festival has meant for our family:

•            Fireworks make a daily and nightly appearance, the high points being New Year’s Eve, the first day of Spring, and (coming up) the last day of the Spring Festival, 15 days into the New Year.
•       A long break from language school, tutoring, home school group, Discovery Club, etc…
•              Most of our Chinese friends are out of town, often extending their time away by using their vacation time as well. We are praying for many of them who are taking this opportunity to share the love of Jesus with their family members who do not yet know Him.  
•             Many of our foreign friends are also out of town as the work they are doing in China is put on hold for a few weeks.
•             Several places we normally go to shop and eat are closed.
•            We often get to sit down on the subway as we travel, a rare treat for us!
•           The streets around our house are free of horn-honking, parked cars and school drop-off traffic jams.  
•           We were able to soak in some culture by attending a popular fair nearby, where everyone who did stay in Beijing seems to be hanging out.

  

  Can you spot the back of my head in the crowd at the Spring Festival Fair?

•       Our family took a day away snowboarding at a local resort. Our whole family could rent equipment and play all day for the price of one lift ticket in California. Sure, it was a bit smoggy, but we had a blast!



Happy New Year, Everyone!